The New Beginning Of Project KR
by Please Read my stuff
Summary: AU: Born from the DNA of Wonder Woman and Superman. A Three year old Project KR escapes from Cadmus and tries to find his place in a word full of madmen, aliens, and evil gods bent on taking over the world. (Element of the New 52 comic) I don't own anything!
1. Chapter 1

_**The new beginning of prject KR**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Stars twinkled brightly in the sky above Metropolis and a gentle wind blew through the empty parking lot of the Cadmus building.

Cadmus was an organization devoted to protecting the world from outside threats.

The Cadmus building was a tall three story building with large glass windows that reflected the moonlight.

Suddenly the quiet of the night was broken when soldiers in black tactical gear rush towards the Cadmus building, the clink, clink, of their weapons and their excited chatter filling the night air.

"Hey did you hear?" One soldier asked another at the back of the horde.

"No, what?" The soldier asked.

"Project KR is supposed to fight Project Rio tonight," the first soldier replied with excitement in his voice.

The second soldier's eyes widened. Cadmus devoted most of their time to creating weapons to protect the world from alien invasion and Meta humans. Those weapons consisted of Advanced Technology and genetically engineered weapons, created by using alien DNA to make a clone of the original or genetic manipulation.

Project Rio was created by combining the DNA of Superman and Lex Luther.

_I don't know much about Project KR,_ thought the second soldier,_ since the scientist heading up the project keeps it under wraps, but I hope it can at least put up a good fight against something with the powers of Superman and the mind of Lex Luther._

Cadmus routinely had their genetically engineered soldiers fight each other to weed out the weak. It wasn't like they were human, plus it was such a great show to watch.

The second soldier shook his head and quickened his pace, "Come on. We have to hurry if we don't want all the good seats to be taken."

_**PKR**_

Dr. Samuel Sturgis stood before a bank of computer monitors, watching as the program captured every one of Wonder Woman's movements. A wide smile spread across his flabby face when he glanced at another computer screen and saw every kick, punch, and head –butt measured mathematically.

Shaking his head, Dr. Sturgis moved over to a tank in the middle of the room that was filled with glowing yellow liquid and surrounded by more computers. He squinted past the glowing yellow liquid at the small body inside.

A three-year-old boy floated in the pure liquid sunlight that filled the tank. The lower half of his face was covered by a small breathing mask.

Metal tubes decorated his small body, hooked in to his arms legs and stomach. The tubes pumped Nano bots and nutrients into the boy's body. The Nano bots allowed Samuel to make the proper modifications to the boy's body.

Small wires were plugged into the boy's temples, measuring his brain activity.

Reaching into his pocket with his large hand, Dr. Sturgis wrapped his stubby fingers around a remote. The good doctor pulled the remote from his pocket and pressed a button.

The images on the computer screens changed as an audio file opened.

_This is Dr. Samuel Sturgis. The year is two thousand eleven. After eleven years of working, I have finally managed to combine the DNA of wonder woman and Superman acquired by Cadmus. The project is still in its embryonic stage. I will wait approximately six weeks before I start my genetic manipulation._

The doctor pressed another button on the remote and the recording shut off. He gazed upon his creation with his back straight and his chest puffed out, causing his large belly to press against the glass of the tank.

The good Dr. ran a hand through his thinning red hair and pressed another button on his remote.

"This is Dr. Samuel Sturgis the year is two thousand fourteen. Project KR has grown nicely over the past three years. I have filled his tank with synthetic sunlight, thanks to my genetic manipulation he absorbs and metabolizes sunlight faster than his genetic father Superman."

"I have also used Cadmus's satellites to record wonder woman's battles over the past eleven years. I have implanted every one of her moves into the boy's mind and muscles. I hope by using Nano bots to program the moves into his muscles that he will use them on instinct, but that will have to wait until he actually fights an opponent to be seen. Now that the genetic enhancements are done, I will spend the next ten years making sure the boy is loyal to me and Cadmus."

Samuel stopped recording and placed his hand on the tank, "You will be the Earth's greatest weapon against all those that would threaten it."

A hissing sound drew the doctor's gaze away from the tank. He watched as the large metal doors to his lab opened and a soldier wearing black tactical gear stepped inside.

Weaving his way through the advanced technology that filled the room the soldier stopped before Samuel with his back straight and his arms pressed firmly to his sides.

Samuel's beady black eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"

"The board of directors has decided Project KR will fight Project Rio tonight."

Samuel's mouth dropped open and his eyes widened,_ the board of directors promised me that they would wait until project _KR _was at least thirteen before having him fight any other projects, he thought. I've worked too hard for him to be destroyed._

His eyes narrowed, veins began to throb above his eyebrows, and red splotches began to appear on his face, "The board promised me that I would have ten more years, before project KR fought any other projects," he shouted with spittle flying from his mouth.

The soldier didn't move as Samuel shouted into his face. His face remained emotionless throughout the doctor's entire rant, "The board has decided that they want to see the results of this project, before they give you any more money for it."

"But project KR is only three years old. He will be at a distinct disadvantage against project Rio."

The soldier narrowed his eyes, then you should have used the hyper cloning process that every other scientist in Cadmus uses when creating genetic weapons.

Samuels's nostrils flared and his lips formed into a snarl,_ there is a reason I did not use the hyper cloning process you fool,_ he thought_._ T_he hyper cloning process ages cells to help them reach a proper age so they can be thrown into combat sooner_. _With all the genetic manipulation I did to project KR, I didn't want to risk damaging his cells._

Samuel shook his head. There was no use in telling this meathead any of this. It wasn't like he would understand any of it anyway. He pulled his lab coat tighter around him and glared up at the soldier, "Alright, I will wake up project KR, and bring him to the arena, he pointed a stubby finger at the soldier, but you tell the board if project KR dies I want my budget to triple."

The soldier bristled at being ordered around like a servant, but nodded and left the room. Once he was gone, Samuel turned to the tank, "You better not fail me boy."

He pressed a button on the remote and the synthetic sunlight drained from the tank to reveal the boys features.

His small round face rested against his lean muscular body as his breathing mask was removed. His body jerked as the metal tubes were removed.

His body fell to the bottom of the tank and his blue eyes fluttered open.

He swept his dark hair out of his eyes and gazed around the room, _where am I? _He thought.He spotted a large man glaring down at him with an angry sneer on his face,_ is that my father_? He asked himself.

Samuel grabbed the boy by the arms and yanked him out of the tank, "Get a move on boy. We have to get you to the arena," he snapped.

_What's the arena? P_roject KR asked himself. He was brought out of his thoughts when the large man before him shoved a black spandex suit with metal plates trailing down the arms and legs into his hands.

"Put this on and follow me."

Project KR hurriedly slipped on the tightfitting suit and quickly followed the large man out of the room, gazing at all the technology he passed as he did.

They walk down a large hallway. The fluorescent lights in the ceiling reflecting off the white tile floor.

_What's going on?_ Project KR wondered.

They stopped before a set of large metal doors.

Samuel walked over to a keypad set in the wall beside the doors. He typed in a code and the doors slid open to reveal a clear blue sky and a dirt circle a hundred feet across and a hundred feet wide. He grabbed project KR and threw him inside.

KR hit the ground with a thump. He rose to his feet and glanced back at the double doors just in time to see them swing shut.

KR began to tremble. He looked around and saw people in black clothes sitting around the dirt circle. They look to be waiting for something to happen.

_I'm scared,_ KR thought. His bottom lip began to tremble and his big blue eyes began to fill with tears, _why won't anyone tell me what's going on?_

The soldiers began to laugh as KR cried. Their actions just caused Rio to cry harder and hug himself, _why won't anyone help me?_ He wondered.

Suddenly, a set of double doors on the other side of the arena opened. A teenage boy walked into the arena. He was five foot tall with startling blue eyes and dark hair. A white skintight suit with a stylized red S on it covered his well-muscled frame.

KR's eyes widened and a smile blossomed on his face, _he looks like me,_ KR thought, _maybe he can tell me what's going on._

Wiping the tears from his eyes, KR rose to his feet and jogged towards the boy with a spring in his step.

The moment KR came within arm's reach of the teenager that looked like him. The boy lashed out striking KR across the face, sending his small body flying into the far wall.

KR cried out as he hit the wall. He could feel the stone crack beneath him. He slid to the ground with tears streaming down his face._ Why is this happening to me?_ He wondered.

He looked up through tear filled eyes as the strange teenage boy loomed over him his eyes glowing crimson, "I will be the only one," he snarled. He reached for KR.

Suddenly, KR's pupils dilated. The world seemed to slow down around him. In a blur of movement he rolled out of the way of the reaching arm and climbed to his feet.

He wiped the tears from his eyes wincing as his arm brushed against his bruised cheek. He sniffed and looked at the boy with eyes of innocent curiosity, "Why are you doing this to me, what did I do wrong?"

The boy snarled, "I am project Rio, and you are project KR. We were created to defend the Earth against inhumane dangers, but only the strongest creations can survive. Now shut up and fight!" Project Rio charged forward throwing punch after punch.

KR ducked, whirled, and leaned, dodging each blow with the skill of a seasoned warrior, _but I don't want to fight, _he thought as he dodged a particularly vicious punch. He noticed that project Rio had overextended his arm throwing him off balance.

Without conscious thought, he grabbed project Rio's arm twirled him around and tossed him across the arena.

Project Rio slammed into the arena wall hard enough to bust a hole in the thick stone.

KR stared at his hands with wide eyes, his mouth hanging slightly open, _what was that,_ he wondered. Before he knew what he was doing, he sprinted forward.

In the tick of a second he had covered the distance between himself and project Rio. He began raining blow after blow down on his opponent. Each punch was more powerful than the last, and they drove project Rio deeper and deeper into the wall.

_What am I doing? KR _asked himself as he continued to rain down punches on project Rio.He paused in his attack_. I don't want to hurt anyone_.

In his moment of hesitation, project Rio lashed out with his foot, catching KR in the ribs and sending him stumbling backwards.

Project Rio climbed out of the hole. His face was bruised, one I was swelled shut, and he was missing a couple of teeth. He grinned at KR, "I honestly thought you were going to kill me there for a second," his grin turned into a sneer, "but obviously you're too weak to get the job done."

KR regained his balance and looked at project Rio pleadingly, "I don't want to fight you. I don't want to fight anyone. Please can't we just get out of here and find somewhere to live normal lives."

Project Rio's shoulder's slumped and his head drooped, concealing his face in shadow, "I'm afraid not kid, this is our destiny. You might as well accept it."

Project Rio's head snapped up and crimson beams flew from his eyes.

They slammed into KR's face, causing him to cry out and stagger backwards, clutching at his burned flesh.

Project Rio appeared in front of Kr in the blink of an eye and slammed his fist into the boy's stomach with enough force to pick him up off the ground. Spittle and blood flew from KR's mouth as the air was forced out of his lungs.

Project Rio tossed KR into the air and smashed a roundhouse kick into his face, sending him flying.

KR slammed into the arena floor digging a deep trench in the dirt. He lay there blood leaking from his mouth and tears streaming from his eyes. Steam rose from his face as his blackened flesh fell away to reveal new pink skin._ Is this what my life was meant to be like, KR _asked himself, _full of pain with no one to love me._

KR's eyes hardened,_ No I was meant to be more than a weapon. I will leave this place and find my true purpose in this world._ He rose to his feet swaying slightly from his wounds, but he squared his shoulders ready to fight for his freedom.

Project Rio strode confidently forward, "You might as well give up KR. There's no way you can beat me."

KR's tiny fist clenched and he glared at project Rio, "I will not give up, and I will not let you kill me."

Project Rio shook his head, "Fine."

He released a roar and charged forward.

_What am I going to do? KR _asked himself as he watched project Rio approach,_ how am I going to beat someone older and stronger than me?_

Suddenly, his pupils dilated and the world seemed to slow down again. Lightning crackled along his body and dark storm clouds filled the arena. Wind began to howl picking up dirt, and causing KR to rise into the air.

_**PKR**_

The scientist in charge of both projects watched the battle behind a glass wall made to look like it was part of the arena.

"What's going on?" Prof. Diamond, the scientist in charge of project Rio asked.

He was a tall thin man with rust colored red hair and malevolent green eyes. He wore a lab coat that was a size too big and carried himself with his shoulders always hunched, so that people would think he was weak.

Samuel grinned, "This is Project KR's berserker mode."

"Berserker mode?" Diamond questioned.

The grin on Samuels face widened and his eyes shined triumphantly, "Yes, when project KR is in danger he subconsciously accesses the skills of his parents stored in his muscle memory."

Diamond's eyes widened, "How is that possible?"

Samuels grin turned into a smug sneer, "There are advantages to letting your creation grow naturally."

Diamond scowled at the barb and turned away, "_There's no way that child can beat project Rio_," he thought as thunder shook the arena.

_**PKR**_

Project Rio cried out as the wind that filled the stadium lifted him into the air._ What in the world is going on?_ He wondered as he struggled to remain upright in the howling winds.

He screamed as lightning slammed into his chest and arced off his limbs to tear deep holes in the ground. When it stopped, he was panting lightly and the solar suit that fed him solar energy had ragged holes in it showing off his muscular body to those watching.

He glared at project KR. The small boy was surrounded by a hurricane and tiny bolts of electricity arced off his body.

KR looked at project Rio with glowing red eyes, _I don't want to hurt him,_ he thought, _but if I don't then he will come after me when I escape._ With that thought in mind, he shot two red-hot beams from his eyes.

They slammed into projectRio's head and continued on into his brain.

Project Rio screamed as he was lobotomized.

The whole arena fell silent no one expected project Kr to beat project Rio.

The wind and lightning faded away, but KR stayed suspended in midair.

Seeing that everyone was distracted by his actions, KR cast a glance at project Rio as he lay on the arena floor,_ I'm sorry_, he said mentally. He shot up into the air and blasted through the dome roof, large chunks of concrete and steel rain down following his departure.

_**PKR**_

Samuels's eyes widened as he saw project KR disappear out of the roof of the Stadium_, where does that brat think he's going_, he thought. He turned to a soldier standing in the door, "What are you doing just standing there? Sound the alarm we can't afford to lose him."

The soldier snapped out of his stupor and fumbled for his radio dangling from his belt, "This is James at the arena. Project KR has escaped sound the alarm."

Sirens and lights began to blare throughout Cadmus.


	2. Chapter 2

_**The new beginning of project KR**_

_**Chapter 2**_

Diana, Princess of the Amazons, flew through the sky her long dark hair flowing behind her as she moved. Her blue eyes systematically scanned each street below searching for trouble.

_You know,_ she thought, _when Batman suggested that the league switch cities to show team unity. I thought that was a good idea, but if one more bank robber comments on my breast I'm going to start smashing skulls._

Suddenly a blur past before the moon and shot off into the distance.

Diana's warrior eyes instantly locked onto it and followed its trail into the distance_. What in the world was that_, she wondered.

She shot off in the direction of the object, her red corset with silver trim sparkling in the moonlight as she sped through the air.

She landed in a park. The wind caused the swings to make a small creaking noise. Her blue eyes scanned the park looking for anything out of place. They locked on to a small figure sitting in the sandbox.

She strode forward, causing the leaves that littered the ground to crunch under her red boots.

When she got close enough for the light of a nearby street lamp to reveal the figure. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. _What in the world is a child doing here, _she asked herself.

Not wanting to scare the child, she knelt down on her knees beside the sandbox, "Hey," she said softly.

The child jumped, causing him to fall out into the light of the streetlights.

_He can't be no more than three, _Diana thought, _why is someone that young out here so late, and where are his parents?_

Project KR looked at Diana with fear in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around his small body and began to whimper, "Please don't hurt me," He pleaded as tears began to stream down his face.

_What could've happened to this child for him to be so scared of people, _Diana wondered as she gazed upon the weeping child. Shaking her head, the Princess of the Amazons reached forward and placed her hand on the child's shoulder, causing him to flinch.

Diana inwardly scowled and her free hand clenched into a fist. W_hoever hurt this child is going to pay, _she thought to herself.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," she began softly, "can you tell me what you are doing here?"

KR gazed into the beautiful blue eyes of the woman before him. Her long black hair swayed in the breeze and the moonlight highlighted her royal features._ She's pretty_, he thought,_ I don't know why, but just looking at her makes me feel warm and safe._

KR opened his mouth to answer but before he could black helicopters filled the sky blocking out the moon.

Men in black tactical gear repelled down from the helicopters and landed in front of Diana and KR, their M-16's trained on both of them.

A soldier with gold bars on his uniform stepped forward, "Wonder woman, please move, we are only here to retrieve project KR."

Diana glanced back at the child. His eyes were wide with fear. His small body trembled as he curled into a tight ball as if he was trying to make himself disappear. _Why on earth do these men want an innocent child, _she thought, _it doesn't matter,_ her gaze hardened, _there's no way I'm letting them take him._

She firmed her stance, planted her hands on her hips, and squared her jaw, "No, I'm not letting you take him."

The soldiers shifted nervously, but the soldier with the gold stripes on his uniform raised his hand. The soldier's stances firmed. In unison they cocked their M-16's, the clicks echoed throughout the park.

_They may not be smart,_ Diana thought, _but they are brave._

"I give you one more chance Wonder Woman," said the soldier with gold stripes, "move and let us take the boy, or we'll open fire."

Diana let her hands drift down to her waist to check and make sure her gold lasso of truth and sword were still there. After making sure she still had weapons. She stepped back placing herself between the soldiers and the terrified boy, "If you want this boy, you're going to have to go through me."

Without another word the soldiers raise their guns and opened fire. The chatter of gunfire filled the night, sending all the nighttime creatures scattering for cover.

Diana raised her arms and crossed her wrist; her silver wristbands glinted in the moonlight. Sparks flew on the air as bullets ricocheted off her wristbands and peppered the ground around her. Some unlucky soldiers were unfortunate enough to have a bullet ricochet back, sending him crumpling to the ground clutching their wounded appendage.

Seeing their attack on wonder woman failed, a few soldiers broke away from the group and headed towards the cowering KR.

KR cried out as he saw them approach, _oh no,_ he thought, _they're coming to take me back._

Suddenly, his pupils dilated and he rose to his feet. Before he realized what he was doing he charged forward and slammed his fist into the closest soldier's gut, sending him skidding backwards into his fellows, causing them all to fall to the ground.

KR stared down at his extended fist, _what was that_? He wondered. He glanced over to where the nice lady was battling the rest of the soldiers._ I may not want to hurt anyone, but this nice lady is protecting me from these bad people. I won't let her fight alone._

As he made his decision something clicked within his mind, and he suddenly knew how to use his powers, but more importantly he knew who and what he was. _I am project KR,_ he exclaimed mentally. _I was created to fight the Justice league should they ever go rogue, but I will be more than just a weapon. I will fight to defend those who can't defend themselves. I will fight to make the world a better place, so that Cadmus has no reasons to create more things like me._

He glared at the soldiers, his eyes burning red.

The soldiers cried out as their guns became red-hot and began to melt in their hands.

Diana had just finished punching a soldier in the face when she heard surprised cries. She turned and saw the soldiers drop their weapons and clutched their burning hands. She glanced down at the weapons and saw they were glowing red-hot. They were so hot that they caused the grasp beneath them to smolder. _How did that happen? _She wondered.

Suddenly a soldier flew through the air and smashed into his stunned fellows, sending them all toppling to the ground. Diana turned in the direction the soldiers came from and her eyes widened. She saw the small boy zooming around the soldiers at incredible speeds, breaking bones and knocking them unconscious.

_Alright this is getting too weird, _Diana thought as she watched bullets ricochet off his small body.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard the soldier with gold stripes on his uniform yell, "Bring out project green."

Diana watched as the helicopters lowered a long barrel shaped object with four legs sticking out from the bottom and two handlebars on the back to the ground. She watched the soldier's back away and the one with gold stripes on his uniform moved behind the device and grab the handlebar sticking out of the back.

He aimed the device at project KR and a sickly green light emanated from the barrel.

Diana's eyes widened as she realized what they were about to do. She turned to project KR, "Watch out."

Project KR turned, but her cry came too late. A sickly green beam shot from the Barrell and slammed into KR's chest, causing him to cry out and crumple to the ground.

Diana's world turned red. _Those bastards,_ she seethed mentally, _how dare they hurt an innocent child._

With a scream of rage, the Princess of the Amazons charged forward. She slammed her fist into the laser causing it to crumple under the impact. Green beams began to come out of the wreckage then it exploded sending green waves throughout the area.

The green energy waves sent the soldiers on the ground flying backwards and the helicopters plummeting to the ground. Earth shattering boom's echoed through the air as the helicopters touched down. Dust rose up in to the air and blood soaked into the ground from the bodies of those unlucky enough to have a helicopter land on them.

Diana turned away from the war zone and walked over to project KR. She knelt down beside his small body and pressed to finger to his neck checking for a pulse. _Please don't be dead, _she thought, _I don't know why, but I would be crushed if anything happen to you._

She sighed in relief as she felt a strong pulse in his neck, "Thank the gods," she breathed. She raised a hand and pressed the communicator in her ear, "This is Wonder Woman. I have someone here in need of medical attention."

"Roger Wonder Woman prepare for transport."

"Roger that," she scooped the small boy up in her arms and disappeared in a blue light.

_**P KR**_

Lex Luthor stood in the hospital room of project Rio one hand tucked into the pocket of his black Armani suit pocket the other clutched the doctors prognosis of project Rio's condition. His green eyes scanned the report. As he read a scowl made its way onto his face.

_How could this have happened, _he mentally seethed, _how could something with my genius and Superman's powers have been beaten by a child._

He walked around the bed, the room's florescent lights reflecting off his bald head as he moved. He stopped before the head of project Rio's bed and lifted up his eye lid. The blue eye was glassy and unresponsive.

He let the eyelid drop back down and turned away in disgust. _I knew I should've taken over project Rio's training. After all who better to defeat Superman than his greatest enemy? _He turned to the doctor in the room, "I want project Rio moved to the medical wing at Lex Corp."

The doctor spun around his eyes wide, the paper he was holding fell to the floor, "But Mr. Luthor, Cadmus has the greatest medical technology on the planet. If we move him he may never get better."

Lex stepped forward and glared right into the man's face, "I know more about Superman than anyone else. Only I know what it's going to take to heal project Rio. Now fill out the paperwork to move him to Lex Corp. or I will have you fired."

The doctor's eyes widened, he scooped up his papers and hurried from the room to fill Luthor's request.

_Weak minded fool, _Lex thought as he watched the doctor scurry from the room, he turned back to project Rio, _you will become the tool to Superman's destruction, _he thought with a smile on his face.

_**P KR**_

The watchtower, a base for all of Earth superheroes floated high above the earth in the endless void that was outer space

The watchtower was a massive cylindrical structure surrounded by two overlapping metal rings. It's many Windows burn trying and failing to push back the darkness that surrounded it, but even though it failed against its battle with the darkness of outer space. It kept a vigilant watch on the large blue jewel that was Earth.

Diana paced back and forth in front of the large Window that let a person view into the watchtower's medical wing. Her head was bowed, her shoulders hunched, and she kept wringing her hands as she tried to wear a hole in the floor with her feet. _Come on kid you have to make it,_ she thought.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard someone call her name, "Diana."

She turned and saw Superman striding towards her, his long red cape flowing behind him.

Superman was 6'3" tall. A strange metallic skintight blue armor was stretched across his muscular frame. A red S insignia was emblazoned on his chest.

Diana smiled despite herself. _What is it about this man that just the site of him makes me calm down?_ She wondered.

He stopped before her, his red boots almost touching hers. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her up and down with a critical eye. His dark hair kept her from seeing the worry in his eyes, "Are you alright?"

Diana wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. When they separated she smiled up at him, "I'm fine, but the boy I have brought in was injured when we were attacked."

"You were attacked?"

_That would be the one thing he focuses on,_ Diana thought with the role of her eyes. Ever since they started dating, they struggled to balance their worries for each other with their duties as superheroes.

It was slightly easier for her. _Just another perk of being the daughter of Zeus, I was trained by the God of war to suppress my emotions to get the job done,_ she thought.

"I'm fine," she repeated a little exasperation leaking into her voice.

The man of steel backed off hearing the exasperation in her voice, "Okay," he said holding his hands up in a pacifying manner, "I was just worried."

Diana smiled, "I know and I love you for it, but I can take care of myself."

"I know you can I just feel better when I'm there to fight by your side."

"I know I do to." _After all someone's got to be there to watch your back when you go charging in without thinking, _she thought.

They stood there in silence for a moment just enjoying each other's presence.

So, what's this about a kid? Superman asked.

Over the next few minutes Diana told Superman about how she met the kid and how they were attacked by mysterious soldiers in black.

"And you said they were after to the kid?" Superman asked after she finished.

"Yeah," Diana said nodding, "but that's not the strangest thing."

Superman raised an eyebrow.

He went from being a scared little boy to taking on soldiers like a seasoned warrior, I have never seen anything like it Clark.

Superman frowned. _This must really be bothering her. She rarely ever use is my secret identity when I'm in costume,_ he thought.

"I understand that a child fighting like a seasoned warrior is strange, but what has you so shaken about the way he suddenly changed it could've been just a fight or flight mechanism."

Diana looked him in the eyes her lips turned downward in a thoughtful frown," Because he fought exactly like me." Superman's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to ask how that was possible, but before he could speak a child scream sounded from the medical bay.

Diana turned and bolted in the direction she had last seen the child with Superman hot on her heels.


	3. Chapter 3

_**The New Beginning of Project KR**_

Project KR opened his eyes to an unfamiliar metal ceiling, the smell of antiseptic hung heavy in the air. He could hear the steady rhythm of a heart monitor and feel a soft bed under him. _Where am I?_ He wondered. He remembered being in a park and those men in black clothes coming to take him away. His eyes widened and he began to tremble.

_What have I done?_ He thought. He remembered attacking those soldiers, feeling their bones break under his fists. He remembered the exhilaration of the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He remembered the rush of his opponents dropping and how great it felt to put down those that dared to hurt him.

_I really am a monster,_ he thought. At that realization he released a scream of anguish and pain that sent chills down the spine of everyone who heard it.

Suddenly the door to his room exploded open and the woman that had defended him from the soldiers rushed into the room. _No I don't want to hurt anyone else,_ he thought. He thrust out his hand, "Stay back I don't want to hurt you!" In his distress he shot lightning from his outstretched hand.

Diana's eyes widened, and she spun out of the way. The lightning struck the wall and fizzled out leaving behind a dark scorch mark.

_What was that?_ Diana wondered.

Project KR's eyes widened. _I almost hurt the only person to show me any kindness, _he thought. Tears began to stream down his face as he clutched his arm to his chest, _what's wrong with me?_

Diana's heart broke as she watched the boy curl into a ball and cry. She cautiously approached the bed.

At the sound of her footsteps, project KR looked up, "No don't come any closer I'm a monster."

Diana kept walking, she sat down on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around him, causing him to stiffen, "Shh, you are not a monster, you have a gift."

_She's good at this,_ Superman thought watching her comfort the child from the doorway. _She'll make a good mother one day._ Shaking his head, the man of steel stepped into the room.

The sound of footsteps caused KR to look around. He tensed and his eyes widened as he caught sight of Superman.

Diana hugged him to her tighter and ran a hand through his hair, "It's okay, that's just Superman."

KR turned to look at Diana with large eyes, "Is he going to hurt me?" He asked in a small voice.

Before Diana could answer, Superman beat her to it, "No, I'm not going to hurt you." He said walking closer to the bed and kneeling down before the boy, "but I would like to know where you're from and what happen to you before you met Diana."

KR relaxed at the calm reassurance in Superman's voice and looked up at Diana with eyes full of innocence." Your names Diana?"

"Yes it is," Diana answered smiling.

"That's a pretty name," KR said smiling._ I like these people,_ he thought,_ they make me feel safe._

"Thank you," Diana said placing a kiss on his forehead.

They sat there in silence for a few moments.

_I can't believe how close I feel to a child I just met,_ Diana and Superman thought.

After a while Superman cleared his throat, "Can you tell us how you ended up in the park?"

The child stiffened and buried his face in Diana's chest.

Superman felt like kicking himself as he saw the child's reaction, _way to ruin the mood, Clark, _he thought to himself. He looked at Diana with pleading eyes.

Diana released a small sigh, "Hey, it's all right," she said softly, "we just want to know so we can help you."

The boy said nothing for a few minutes. Just when they thought he wasn't going to answer he began to speak.

Over the next twenty minutes, he told them about how he woke up in a tank, how he was forced to fight, and how he escaped and was eventually found my Wonder Woman. When he was finished Superman asked.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell us?"

_Do I tell them that I was created to destroy them,_ KR wondered, _will they still treat me nice if I do?_

Before project KR could make up his mind, a tall baldheaded man with dark green skin and red eyes knocked on the door frame, causing the three occupants of the room to turn.

"Yes Martian Man Hunter?" Diana asked. _I don't think it's a good idea to give away any more secret identities, _she thought to herself.

"Could I speak with you and Superman a moment?" He asked.

Diana nodded and Martian Man Hunter turned and left the room, his blue cloak billowing behind him.

Diana turned to project KR, "Stay right here. We'll be right back okay?"

Project KR nodded, trying not to show how nervous he was.

Together Diana and Superman left the room letting their hands intertwine as they did.

_I wish I knew what they're saying, so I could better prepare myself for what's going to happen, _project KR thought.

Suddenly he could hear Diana's voice outside the room, "What is it John?"

_**PKR**_

The green skinned man looked at both of them steadily, his lips pressed into a thin line. There was an ominous feeling in the air that made both superheroes nervous.

"When you brought the boy in," the Martian Man Hunter began, "I ran several tests on him to find out what kind of energy he was hit with…"

"Did you find anything?" Diana asked cutting him off.

"I found traces of kryptonite radiation," the green man continued as if he hadn't been interrupted.

_Why would those soldiers shoot a child with the kryptonite beam?_ Diana wondered. Before she could ask Superman beat her to it.

"Why would they should the boy with a kryptonite beam? Kryptonite only affects kryptonians"

"They shot him with it, because that boy in there is your son, yours and Wonder Woman's to be exact."

Diana and Superman's eyes widened.

_**PKR**_

Project KR's eyes widened and he suddenly couldn't hear anymore.

_I have parents,_ he thought.

_**PKR**_

Lex Luther stood in front of a silver capsule with a porthole in the top of it, a yellow light shone from the porthole. On either side of the capsule connected to it by thick metal cables were two massive metal cylindrical objects with domed roofs that were made of glass. The glass domes shone like the sun, their light reflected off the tile floors, making the scientist working around them have to wear sunglasses to be able to see.

Scientist in white lab coats ran around the tank typing on computers, or checking the monitors plugged into the tank.

After a few minutes, a scientist with thick round black glasses ran up to Luthor, clutching a handful of papers. He stopped before the multibillionaire and straightened his glasses, "Your hypothesis was correct Mr. Luthor, bombarding project Rio with pure sunlight is healing his brain, but the cellular division is slow, and there is still no brain activity."

Luthor nodded, "Keep me posted. I want to be notified immediately if there is any change."

The scientist nodded and scurried back to his duties.

Lex turned and walked away, his hands tucked deep into his Armani suit. _One day Superman, the instrument of your destruction will live again, and when you die it will be because of Lex Luther,_ the multibillionaire thought with a dark smile on his face, _and then the world will see Lex Luther for the hero he really is for taking out the only true threat to humanity._

_**PKR**_

The world spun around Superman. _I can't believe it,_ he thought, _I have a son. _He collapsed into a nearby chair and stared down at his hands._ What am I going to do_? He wondered,_ I've always wanted a son, but this is just too soon. I thought I had a few more years before I had to think about a family._ He shook his head,_ but at the same time. I can't just abandon the boy. He needs me, beyond that I feel drawn to him._ He looked at Diana, "What do you want to do?"

Diana looked at him, and the man of steel could see unconditional love in her eyes. The kind of love only a mother could have for her child. He nodded, "So, it's agreed we raise him together?"

Diana nodded, "I believe that would be for the best. "Besides," she added with a twinkle in her eyes, "he could give us practice for the future."

The man of steel nodded, "Yes, but hopefully by then the world will be calmed down and many of our enemies will be gone."

Diana nodded a frown on her goddess like features, "Yes hopefully. It will be difficult to keep our child safe from our enemies, but I just can't bear the thought of abandoning my son, no matter how he was created."

The man of steel nodded, "I know what you mean. I feel drawn to him too, but at the same time can I be a good father?"

Diana rose to her feet and walked over and sat down on her lover's lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close, "I'm worried about being a good mother," she said softly, "but we will figure this out together."

Superman leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. When they pulled away he asked, "What would I do without you?"

Diana smirked, "Probably get in a lot of trouble."

Superman smirked back, "Probably."

Together they rose to their feet, "Ready to go tell our son about this new development?" Diana asked.

_Our son,_ Superman thought, _this is so surreal._ Shaking his head, the man of steel grabbed his lover's hand and together they walked back to their son's room.

_**PKR**_

Project KR stared out the window of his room at the black void of space._ I have parents_, he thought. He began biting his lower lip. _What's going to happen to me now? _He wondered, _will they love me, will I finally know what it's like to be loved._

He was brought out of his thoughts when the door to his room opened. He turned to see Superman and Diana staring at him, "So," he began, "you guys are my parents."

The two lover's eyes widened, they open their mouths to ask how he knew, but KR just tapped his ear, "When you left the room I wanted to hear what you are saying, and suddenly I could hear your voices."

Superman smiled. _That's my boy, _he thought proudly, _only three years old and he's already developing super hearing._

Diana shook her head with a half-smile on her face. _I just know he's going to be trouble in the future, _she thought to herself.

KR relaxed seeing the smiles on their faces. "So, what's going to happen to me now?" He asked.

Diana walked forward and sat down on the bed beside her son. _Her son,_ she thought, _it still so surreal. I always thought when I finally had children they would be daughters_, she wrapped her arms around the little boy and pulled him close, _but I wouldn't trade this child for anything in the world._

She glanced at the man of steel and a silent conversation passed between them. She turned to stare down at the child in her arms, "Well, Superman and I have decided to take care of you."

Project KR's eyes widened, "Really?"

Diana nodded.

KR looked down, "Even though I'm not your real son?"

Superman rose from his chair beside the bed and walked over to kneel down before the boy, "Hey, it doesn't matter how you were created. What matters is that you are our son, and we care about you."

KR looked at the man of steel with wide eyes. Suddenly, he launched himself at Superman and wrapped his arms around his neck. He buried his face in the man of steel's hard chest and wept tears of joy stream down his small face.

Superman wrapped his arms around the boy and rose to his feet. He sat down on the bed and rubbed small circles on the boys back.

Diana smiled at the scene. _He's going to make a great father, _she thought to herself.

When he calmed down KR removed his head from Superman's chest and gazed up at him with big watery blue eyes.

Superman smiled down at him, "Now, I think someone needs a new name."

KR cocked his head to one side, "Why?"

Superman's smile widened, "Well, we need to call you something, and KR just doesn't seem to fit."

"So, what are you going to call me?"

The man of steel looked at Diana, "What do you think of Connor?"

Diana smiled, "Connor Kent, it has a nice ring to it."

Superman nodded and turned back to KR, "What do you think of the name Connor?"

KR smiled, "I like it, but where did Kent come from?"

The man of steel glanced at Diana and she nodded.

"Well," Superman began.

_**PKR**_

Samuel Sturgis and Professor Diamond stood in a dark room surrounded by computer monitors. The bright light from the monitors made it impossible for either of them to see the faces on the monitors.

Both shifted nervously from foot to foot. They had been summoned to speak to the board of directors. No one ever spoke to the Board of Directors unless it was something bad.

Both jumped as a voice came from one of the screens.

"We have lost both project KR and project Rio."

"If Professor Diamond and I work together, I am certain we can create something stronger than both project KR and Rio."

"That will not be necessary," another voice spoke up.

"What," Diamond exclaimed, "why not?"

"Because neither one of you work for Cadmus anymore," the first voice said.

Samuels's eyes widened, "You're firing us?"

"No," the second voice said, "you're both too valuable to lose your knowledge."

Both relaxed. _At least we're not getting fired,_ they thought.

"Then what are you going to do to us?" Diamond asked.

"You have both been found worthy of assimilation despite your failures," the two voices said together.

_Assimilation, _Samuel thought, _that doesn't sound good. _He slowly began edging towards the door.

Suddenly the image on the computer screens changed to three circles in the form of an upside down triangle. A beam of green energy shot from the screen and slammed into both scientists chest. Both released a primal scream of fear as they were sucked into the computer screens.


	4. Chapter 4

_**The New Beginning of Project KR**_

_**Chapter 4**_

The sun hung high in the clear blue sky over the Arctic, its rays caused the snow sparkle like diamonds. A gentle wind blew across the icy landscape, causing small clouds of snow to skate along the ground.

A polar bear rode a sheet of ice across clear blue water. When the ice hit land, the polar bear jumped off and sniffed the ground in search of food. Engrossed in its task, the polar bear did not notice a giant crystal pyramid in front of it until it ran into it.

The polar bear gazed upon the pyramid with its big black eyes. Curiously, it raised a paw and swiped at the structure. Its paw bounced off the crystal.

Deciding to find its food elsewhere, the polar bear turned and walked away, it's large footprints the only sign that it was ever there.

Connor Kent stood in the center of the crystal pyramid surrounded by white light that was filled with symbols, listening intently as the AI in his father's Fortress of solitude finished his schooling.

_Krypton was a planet full of humanoid people. They were a race of highly advanced beings. Their bodies were denser than the humans of earth, so they could survive krypton's higher gravity. Kryptonian's gain extraordinary power under a yellow Sun, Earth's lighter gravity would allow them to fly._

_Currently there are only three known kryptonians: Kara Zor-El a.k.a. Supergirl, Kal-El, a.k.a. Superman, and you Connor Kent._

_That concludes the lesson on the three hundred and nine known galaxies. Do you have any questions?_

Eight-year-old Connor Kent relaxed as he allowed the information to sink into his brain. After a moment he smiled. _It's hard to believe it's already been five years, _he thought to himself, _it seems like only yesterday mom found me in that park._

Over the past five years, the young kryptonian's face became more angular, but his cheeks were still rounded with baby fat. He had grown to an impressive five feet, and his body started to develop the thick muscle of his kryptonian heritage.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned to see his father walking towards him, "Hey dad."

The man of steel smiled. _Even after five years I never get tired of hearing that, _he thought to himself. He stopped before his son and ruffled his shaggy black hair, "Hey son, your mother's outside waiting on you."

Connors blue eyes met his father's. _Even after all these years he hasn't changed a day,_ he thought,_ I wonder if I will age that gracefully. _He shook his head, "Is it time for combat training already?"

The man of Steel smiled down at his son, "Yes it is. I know you don't like fighting, but…"

Connor raised a hand to stop his father, "It's all right dad. I'm not the same boy I was five years ago. I have great power it is my responsibility to use that power to stop those who would hurt others," he looked at his father with a small smile on his face, "plus what kind of son would I be if I didn't follow in my parents footsteps."

Superman placed a hand on his son's shoulder, his wedding ring glinting in the light reflecting off the crystals, "I can't tell you how proud of you your mother and I are. I know you are our first child, but we never want any of our children to feel like we are forcing them to fight evil. It fills us with a great sense of pride that you chose to use your abilities to make the world a better place."

Connor beamed at his father, warmth spreading through his body at the pride in his father's voice, "Well I haven't done much yet." he said looking away bashfully, "I just now finished my training with Brainiac." Brainiac was the fortresses artificial intelligence system.

For the past five years it had been responsible for teaching him about the other galaxies in the universe, along with teaching him everything he would need to know to survive on earth.

The man of steel shook his head and gave his son a knowing look, "Brainiac tells me you've been going out on nighttime patrols all over the world."

Connor blushes. _So much for sneaking out unnoticed_, he thought, _and here I thought I was being so careful. I guess I underestimated how difficult it was to sneak out when one of your parents has x-ray vision and super hearing._

Superman sighs, "I'm not mad. Just be careful and make sure to let me or your mother know when you plan to go out on patrols."

Connor sighs in relief and smiles at his father, "Thanks dad."

"No problem, now you better go before your mother comes looking for you."

Connor nods and walks out of the pyramid, snowdrifts down onto his skintight black solar suit as he leaves. After his son was gone, Superman stepped into the center of the pyramid, "So how is he Brainiac?"

"He is well. His cells are absorbing solar energy faster than yours do, and he finished the training in five years instead of ten."

"Any cellular deterioration?" The man of steel asked. Being artificially created, he was worried his son might suffer from cellular breakdown.

"No he is a perfectly healthy eight-year-old child. The smartest eight-year-old child on earth, possibly even the galaxy, but what do you expect when you have the magnificent AI Brainiac teaching him."

Superman shook his head. _I wonder if the Brainiac on krypton was this prideful, _he wondered as he turned and walked away.

_**PKR**_

Connor stepped out of the fortress and smiled as the sun cascaded over his tan face. New energy rushed into his body and he sighed. _I never get tired of this feeling, _he thought.

"I was beginning to think I was going to have to come looking for you."

Connor turned to see his mother standing a short distance away. Her medal corset glinted in the morning light, and her hair, which was tied back in a ponytail swayed in the Arctic breeze.

He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry father had something he wanted to discuss with me."

"Finally confronted you about your nighttime patrols did he?"

Connor looked at his mother with wide eyes. _Man I really need to work on my sneaking around, _he thought to himself.

His mother smirked, "Don't look so surprised. Do you really think your father wouldn't tell me?"

_Well I was hoping he wouldn't, _Connor thought.

He was brought out of his thoughts when his mother tossed him a blindfold, "Put this on?"

His head turned to one side and he raised an eyebrow, "What's this for?"

Diana smiled nastily, "As punishment for sneaking out today I will teach you how to Dodge things while blindfolded."

Connor paled. _Okay that settles it. I really need to work on my sneaking around,_ he thought, _if I survive this I think I'll go to Gotham and ask Batman to teach me how to sneak around._

Batman, also known as the dark Knight was the hero of Gotham city. He was a master of martial arts and the greatest detective on earth. If there was anyone that could teach him how to sneak around it would be Batman.

Sighing, the boy of steel put on the blindfold. He tried to use his x-ray vision and sighed again. _Of course she would use a lead lined blindfold, _he thought to himself.

The moment the blindfold was on, Diana charged forward. The snow crunched under her feet as she moved.

Connor's ears twitched as he heard his mother approach, and his hands snapped towards his chest, catching her incoming foot. He ducked as he felt his mother shift her weight and swing her free leg at his head. Still crouching, the young kryptonian spun around on the balls of his feet and through his mother away.

Diana flipped and landed on her feet gracefully, a large smile spreading across her features, "You're getting better. When we first started you couldn't even defend yourself against me."

_Oh I remember, _Connor thought, wincing as phantom pain shot through his body. When his mother first started his combat training, he would go to bed every night covered in bruises. He was just lucky his kryptonian heritage helped him heal fast.

Suddenly the hiss of displaced air sounded behind him. He dodged a punch, but winced as a kick slammed into his ribs. He stumbled backwards, spinning to regain his balance. He thrust his hand outward and shot a ball of compressed air at his mother.

Diana crossed her wrist in front of her and allowed the ball of compressed air to slam into her. The force of the blow pushed her backwards. She thrust her arms upward and sent the ball of compressed air soaring into the sky. She looked at her son and smiled. _I'm glad to see you take after me when it comes to combat,_ she thought.

She frowned as she saw the sweat run down her son's face,_ but it seems using the power of Zeus is more draining for you than it is for me, _she mused, _then again you are only a quarter god instead of the demigod like me, so it makes sense he wouldn't be able to use the power of my father as easily as I do._

Suddenly Connor ripped off the blindfold and stared into the sky.

"Hey," Diana called, "trainings not over yet."

The boy turned to his mother his eyes hard, "Don't you hear that?"

Diana's eyes narrowed, "Hear what?"

Connor's eyes widened, "Watch out!"

On instinct, Diana jumped backwards just as a laser blast slammed into the place she had been standing.

Both mother and son looked up to see five men in high tech armor floating above them. The sunlight reflected off their metal helmets.

One of the soldiers drifted towards the ground. As he neared the ground steam billowed beneath him as his jet boots melted the snow.

He landed with a small splash and walked forward. The snow crunched under his heavily armored feet. He stopped a short distance away from them, "I will give you one chance. Give me the boy and no one gets hurt."

Diana scowled and stepped in front of her son, "Not going to happen."

"So be it," the man said. He raised his arm and a gun-barrel rose up out of his wrist. Just before he fired, a blur slammed into him, knocking him backwards. He hit the ground hard and didn't move.

Superman appeared in front of his wife and son, "Are you alright?" He asked without turning around.

"We're fine," mother and son said together.

The man of steel nodded and glared up at the soldiers, "Who are you and why are you attacking my family?"

The four remaining men in armor looked at each other. Finally, one said, "We're not here to fight. We're just here for the boy."

"Why?"

"He is a product of Cadmus. Therefore he is our property."

Connor stiffened. _Oh no they're going to take me back,_ he thought.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn. His mother looked down at him with a comforting smile on her face, "Don't worry, where not going to let them take you."

Connor relaxed slightly but still had his eyes trained on the remaining armored man.

Superman's fist clenched. _This is why I don't like the government, _he thought to himself, _they've always viewed me as a potential weapon, _n_ow since they couldn't get me to be their weapon their after my son._

He glared up at the soldiers, his eyes burning a crimson red, "You're not taking my son anywhere."

Without another word, the four men charged.

With a growl, the man of steel went to meet them.

Diana turned to her son, "I want you to go hide in the fortress."

"I can help," Connor protested.

"I know you can," Diana said earnestly, "but your father and I don't want to have to worry about you while we're fighting these men, so just please go wait in the fortress."

Reluctantly Connor nodded, "Alright," he looked at his mother with pleading eyes, "please be safe."

His mother smirked, "Don't worry," she spun around and slammed her fist into an armored man's face, "go," she yelled over her shoulder.

Connor turned and ran towards the fortress. _This is all my fault, _he thought.

Connor entered the fortress at a sprint, "Brainiac," he shouted.

"Yes master Connor."

"Can you show me what's going on outside?"

The AI was silent for a moment then a holographic screen appeared in front of the young kryptonian.

It showed his father fighting two of the men while his mother fought the other two. The fifth was still lying on the ground unconscious.

_Something isn't right; _Connor thought to himself, _mother and father should have already defeated those men._

"Brainiac zoom in on the armor those men are wearing please."

The armor was silver in color it was thick, but streamline. It stayed as close to the body as possible, making for easy movement. Fire billowed from the feet of the armor, as jet boots kept the men airborne.

Barrels rose up from the wrist armor and shot beams of blue energy at his parents.

Connor narrowed his eyes as he saw his father slam into the ground, "Brainiac, what type of energy did that armor just fire?"

"It appears to be blue kryptonite radiation."

Connor's eyes widened, "What kind of effect would the blue kryptonite beam have on my father?"

"Blue kryptonite causes kryptonian's to lose their will to fight."

"Crap," Connor thought.

"Brainiac can you disable that armor?"

"The armor is of kryptonian design, but I can disable it."

_How do these men have kryptonian armor?_ The boy of steel wondered. He shook his head, "Do it."

The fortress shook and released a blast of pure white energy. The energy slammed into the armor, the armor shuddered and released a wave of Sparks before disappearing from the five men's bodies.

Connor watched as the men fell from the sky. Luckily for them, they weren't up high enough for it to kill them, but they wouldn't be walking for a while.

"What did you do with the armor?"

"Earth isn't ready for kryptonian technology, so I disabled it and teleported it into the Armory."

Connor nodded while watching his mother check on his father. He tore his eyes away from his parents and took a deep breath. _I have to do this,_ he thought; as long _as I am here my parents will be in danger._

"Brainiac," the boy of steel said, fighting to keep his voice steady, "can you erase my parent's memories of me?"

"I can, but I won't."

Connor sighed._ I should have expected this, _he thought.

"Brainiac, your primary objective is to protect the last son of krypton, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well as long as I am around my parents, my father is in danger."

The AI was silent for a moment, "Alright, I will erase their memories, but if your father asks about another kryptonian I will restore them."

"Fair enough," Connor said finally allowing his voice to crack. He turned away tears streaming down his face, "take care of them Brainiac."

"I will," the AI replied.

The boy of steel nodded and flew out of the fortress as another blast of white energy blanketed his parents. _This is for the best,_ he thought. He glanced at his parents one more time. G_oodbye mom and dad, I love you,_ he said mentally.

_**PKR**_

Connor Kent flew over Gotham, ignoring the cries for help and the sounds of crime below. As much as he enjoyed helping people he had more important things to focus on right now.

He gazed down at the city. _How come Gotham still has cars from back in the fifties, _the boy of steel wondered to himself.

Shaking his head, the young kryptonian continued on his way towards the Gotham coast. Arriving at the coast, the boy of steel flew towards Wayne Manor.

Wayne Manor was a large mansion setting on the edge of a Cliff. Half of the large structure was cast in shadow by the setting sun. He flew around the manner and entered a cave setting to the cliff face. He flew to the cave and before long he found himself in a large cavern.

Dropping to the ground with a soft thump, the boy of steel looked around. The cavern was where the Batman stored all of his equipment for fighting crime. It was packed full of mementos from past battles with super villains.

The most notable was a giant dinosaur that Lex Luther once tried to use to kill his father. Shaking his head, the young kryptonian wondered around the room. He caught sight of the freeze Ray, Victor freeze used.

Victor freeze was once the scientist that specialized in cryogenics, but after he fell into a vat of liquid nitrogen while trying to save his wife from an incurable disease. He found that his body could no longer take normal temperatures and that the science community now viewed him as a freak. He was kicked out of every science institution he was once a part of. Enraged by this Victor took on the name freeze and now resorts to a life of crime to find his research, so that he can one day save his wife.

Shaking his head, the boy of steel continued to look around._ Man who knew Batman was such a packrat,_ he thought with an amused smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?" A voice behind him asked.

Connor turned to see Batman standing behind him with a scowl on his cowl covered face.

Connor looked down and began to shift from foot to foot. _I was hoping Batman would be a little more sociable to the child of his friends, _he thought, _but I guess that was too much to ask for._

Taking a deep breath, the boy of steel straightened up and looked Batman right in the eye. He realized that the dark Knight was half hidden in shadow the only thing he could see was the white of Batman's cowl covered eyes and the black bat symbol on the gray chest of his costume.

_Man someone likes the dark, _the boy of steel thought, _I wonder if he is part vampire._

He shook his head, "I need your help."

Batman stepped into the light, his black cape, dragging along the floor as he moved, "Why don't you go to your parents?"

"Because they don't remember me anymore."

The dark Knight's eyes widened then narrowed, "What happened?"

Over the next few minutes, the boy of steel told Batman about everything that happened and how he erased his parent's memory of him. When he was finished the dark Knight scowled at him.

"You shouldn't have done that."

The boy of Steel glared at the dark Knight with tears in his eyes, "Do you think this is easy for me," he snapped his voice full of anger, "the past five years have been the best years of my life. Making my parents forget about me is like ripping off my own arm, but I couldn't forgive myself if my being close to my parents cause them to be hurt."

Batman sighed. He understood the desire to protect one's parents. If he could go back and stop that mugger from killing his own he would no matter what the cost. Shaking his head he asked, "What do you want?"

Connor wiped the tears from his eyes and hardened his jaw in determination, "I want you to teach me how to move around in the shadows, so that I can become the unseen Guardian of the world, and watch my parents from the shadows."

Batman bowed his head in thought. _I really should take him back to his parents,_ he mused, _but this may be our only chance to takedown Cadmus. Cadmus will undoubtedly come after him, plus the fact that those men had kryptonian technology worries me._

"Alright I'll train you."

Connor smiled, "Thank you."

The dark Knight sighed, "Let's begin."

Connor nodded and Batman led them deeper into the cave. _The next few years sure are going to be interesting,_ the boy of steel thought, his gaze hardened, _but don't worry mom and dad I will return home one day._


	5. Chapter 5

_**The New Beginning of Project Kr**_

_**Chapter 5**_

Batman slunk around his cave, making sure to stick to the shadows so his opponent wouldn't see him. Something hitting the floor behind him caused the dark Knight to turn, his hand automatically going to his utility belt.

Slowly he withdrew a Batarang, a bat shaped piece of metal from his utility belt and made his way over to where he heard the sound.

He stopped before a podium with a wooden puppet lying on the floor beside it. Sighing he picked it up and placed it back on the podium.

Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed into his body and sent him flying across the cave. The dark Knight back flipped in midair and spread his cape out behind him so he glided to the ground. A smile spread across his usually stern face. _The kids getting good, _he thought.

"Come on Connor, are you just going to hide all day."

All of a sudden, he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. _There you are. _He thought to himself.

He threw the Batarang at the shadow, the small piece of metal whizz through the air.

Suddenly two red-hot beams came from the other direction and vaporized the small bat.

The dark Knight turned.

In the blink of an eye a blur zoomed around him. When it stopped, the dark Knight found himself tied up with thick rope. A well-muscled thirteen-year-old boy stood before him with a proud smile on his face.

The dark Knight stared at the boy with a glimmer of pride in his eyes. Over the past five years, he had helped Connor refine his skills and taught him how to move in the shadows._ I wonder if this is what a father feels like when their son finally beats them at basketball, _he mused.

Shaking his head, the dark Knight looked the boy over. The young kryptonian had grown almost ten inches over the past five years topping out at five foot nine. His face had become more refined, his cheeks lost their baby fat, and he had begun to develop the prominent chin of royalty. _He may have been created in a lab, but he has the best traits of his parents, _the dark Knight mused, _he will be a great ally in the fight for peace in the future._

Connor smiled down at the dark Knight, "Looks like I win."

"Looks like it," Batman agreed

Connor looked at the man before him. _I really owe Bruce a lot for teaching me these past five years, _he thought, _thanks to his training I'm one step closer to stopping Cadmus and rejoining my parents._

A twinge of pain shot through his chest as he thought of his parents. He had purposefully kept himself away from them. It was just too painful to be around them and they not know who he is.

Shaking his head, the boy of steel grasped his pain and internalized it, using it to drive him towards his goal. _The sooner I defeat Cadmus the sooner I can return home, _he thought to himself. Narrowing his eyes, the boy of steel focused on the ropes that bound Batman.

Thin red beams shot from his eyes and cut the ropes that bound the dark Knight.

Batman rose to his feet and patted Connor on the shoulder.

"You did good kid; I have nothing left to teach you."

"I want to thank you for everything you've done for me Bruce. You could've turned me away, or told my parents about me, but you didn't. You kept my secret, and by doing that you help me keep them safe. For that I will forever be grateful."

The dark Knight reached up to remove his cowl. The cowl fell away to reveal a man with a handsome face, short dark hair, and blue eyes. By day he was known to the world as Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, but by night he was known to all those who would do wrong as the Batman.

"No problem kid, I may not like what you did to your parents, but I can understand wanting to protect the ones you love. Although, I do wish you would wear something besides this he said gesturing at the boys clothes."

Connor was wearing a black blazer over a white T-shirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes. A domino mask covered his eyes.

"Bruce, we've talked about this."

The multibillionaire raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, "I know, I know, wearing plain clothes will help you blend in, in a pinch just by removing the mask, but what will you do if you go somewhere besides the city?"

"By clothes when I get there."

"What are you going to do if there's nowhere to buy clothes?"

"Knockout someone, and take theirs of course."

The dark Knight sighed._ He is so much like his mother,_ the dark Knight thought,_ even after years of training. He still resorts to violence in tough situations._

The dark Knight shook his head, "So, what are you going to do now?"

Connor narrowed his eyes and his lips pressed into a thin line, "I've heard about a gang using advanced technology to Rob Banks in the dead of night. They kill the security guards with a high-powered laser beam to the chest that incinerates their organs. It sounds like Cadmus is involved. I need to find out where they're getting this advanced technology from."

The dark Knight nodded. _I have a feeling when we find out where the getting the technology from we're not going to like the answer, _he thought to himself. Shaking his head the dark Knight placed his hand on Connor's shoulder again, "Be careful, and keep me posted."

"Will do," Connor said with a salute. Then in a blur of movement he was gone.

_**PKR**_

Connor Kent stood on a building that overlooked Gotham national Bank tapping his foot on the concrete roof._ Come on where are you?_ He thought. According to his research, the robbers with the advanced weapons should be hitting Gotham national tonight, but he had been standing here for an hour and still hadn't seen anything. _Could I have been wrong? _He wondered.

The boy of steel was just about to go check one of the other banks in the city when a shadow moved in front of the banks glass doors. Narrowing his eyes, the boy of steel prepared to use a new power that he had discovered over the past five years.

_I hope there's no lead in the walls,_ he thought to himself as the square walls and domed roof faded away. He could see men in black holding strangely shaped weapons moving around the bank. They were systematically emptying the lockboxes before moving onto the vault.

The boy of steel ignored what they were doing and focused his x-ray vision on the guns they were holding. They were indeed of kryptonian design._ I was hoping once I found the people that had the weapons that it would give me some inkling to who supplied them with them, _he thought, _but I guess them wearing jackets with their suppliers name on the back was just too much to ask for_.

Shaking his head, the boy of steel knelt down on the roof and placed his hand on the concrete surface. He then poured lightning into the wires and pipes of the city and guided it into the bank. He watched with his x-ray vision as the lightning shot up from the floor and short-circuited the kryptonian weapons.

He smiled when the bank robbers cried out as their weapons smoked and sparked. He shook his head as they threw their weapons away and continued emptying the bank. _Well so much for them quitting after they lose their weapons,_ he thought, _although I am glad to see that my inheritance from Zeus has gotten easier to use. I no longer feel the drain I once did after using it._

The boy of steel stood to his feet and floated over to the dome roof. He opened one of the rectangular Windows set into the roof and jumped. He landed silently behind the receptionist counter and watched the men move around the bank emptying it of everything of value in quick succession.

_They are definitely professionals, _Connor thought as he observed the way they moved.

Staying in a crouching position, the boy of steel moved around the bank and removed the velvet rope that was used to keep everyone in line from its holder. Once he had all the rope, the young kryptonian zoomed around the bank and tied up all three men before they realized what was happening.

He set them down in the middle of the bank lobby just as they regain their senses.

"What the hell happened?" The heaviest of the three men asked.

"I did," Conner said glaring down at the three bound men.

"Who the hell are you?" The big man asked.

Connor paused._ You know with everything that happened over the past five years I never really gave much thought to my superhero name, _the boy of steel thought, _I wish I could use Superboy, but that may draw attention from my parents, and as much as I want to see them. I need to keep them safe until Cadmus has been dealt with._

The boy of steel shook his head, "My name is the mask vigilante."

The three men laughed, "What kind of stupid name is that?" A thinner robber asked in a nasally voice.

The now named masked vigilante let them laugh for a few moments. When he figured they had laughed long enough, he focused on the spot beside the biggest robber's hand. That section of floor instantly caught fire, causing the three men to cry out in shock.

"What the hell was that?" The third and final robber cried in a strange accent that Connor had never heard before.

"I am asking the questions here," Connor growled, "Now. I want to know where you got those weapons."

"We aren't telling you anything," the muscular robber said.

Connor smiled nastily, "We'll see about that." He grabbed the three bound men and flew out of the bank. He flew high into the air until the city lights below looked like nothing but pinpricks.

The three-men cried out the whole way and the distinct smell of urine wafted into Connors nose. _Oh that is horrible,_ he thought. A small smile spread across his face, _but at least now I know they're good and scared._

He stopped and allowed the men to dangle towards the ground.

They screamed cried and pleaded for the masked vigilante not to drop them.

"Are you going to tell me what I want to know?" The mask boy asked loudly over their screams.

"Fine," said the one with the strange accent, "we'll tell you what you want to know. Just don't drop us."

"Alright then," Connor began swinging the men back and forth, causing them to cry out, "Where did you get those weapons?"

"Off a ship at the docks," the muscular thief shouted, "please quit swinging us I think the ropes going to break."

"Oh the ropes not going to break," Connor said waving his free hand dismissively, "now what did you have to pay for those weapons?"

"We didn't have to pay anything," said the robber with a nasally voice. "We just have to be around if the ship captain asks us for favors. Now please quit shaking us I think I hear the rope tearing"

Connor slowed down his swinging, "What kind of favors does the ship captain have you do?"

"Strange stuff," said the thief with the strange accent.

Connor narrowed his eyes, "What kind of strange stuff?"

"We're not telling you anything else until you put us down," said the thief with the nasally voice.

Connor raised an eyebrow, "Oh really," he began spinning the men over his head so fast that they were a blur.

"Alright," the thief with the strange accent cried, "we'll talk. Just please stop spinning us."

Connor slowed them down, "Now what kind of favors does the ship's captain ask you for?"

"He has us go around and collect blood from where you superheroes do battle with super villains," the muscular thief answered.

Connor's lips turned down in a frown. _It looks like Cadmus is still up to their DNA experiments,_ he thought_, I had hoped after I escaped that they would find the project too risky, but I guess that was too much to ask for._

Shaking his head, the boy of steel asked, "When is the next shipment of weapons due?"

"In three…" the muscular thief was cut off when the rope snapped. The three-men screamed in terror as they plummeted towards the ground.

_Well what do you know,_ Connor mused. _The rope was getting ready to break._ He shot towards the ground and caught the three terrified men just before they became a human pancake. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of defecation that clung to the men.

"Now what were you saying?" he asked after he set them on the ground.

"You're insane," screamed the thief with the strange accent.

"That's a matter of opinion," Connor said with a wave of his hand, "now when's the next shipment do in, or would you rather take another trip into the air."

"In three days, please don't take us back in the air," the thief with the nasally voice answered quickly pleading with him towards the end.

Connor nodded and grabbed the three bound men.

"What are you doing?" Asked the muscular thief, "we told you what you wanted to know."

"I know you did," said Connor, "and I appreciate that, but you boys robbed a bank. I just can't let that slide."

The boy of steel shot into the air, the three men's terrified screams echoed into the night.

_What do you know Bruce was right,_ Connor thought as he flew the men towards the nearest police station, _you really can get more information from terrifying people instead of beating the crap out of them._


	6. Chapter 6

_**The New Beginning of Project Kr**_

_**Chapter 6**_

_I never thought I would be glad that kryptonian's mature faster than humans, _Connor thought as the guard at the docks looked over his ID. It was the day that the bank robbers told him more high tech weapons were supposed to come in. Instead of sneaking in, the boy of steel decided it would be much easier just to walk through the front gate.

So with a change of clothes and a little fake hair glued to his face, the boy of steel made himself up like a dock worker.

He wore a blue jean jacket, a dark yellow sweater, jeans, dark tennis shoes, and a dark blue toboggan.

After what seemed like an eternity the dock guard nodded and opened the gate.

As the boy of steel drew closer to the docks he could hear the cries of seagulls and smell salt water. Horns blew in the distance, signaling to the dock hands that ships were approaching. He stopped under a street lamp and leaned against it, staring out at the ocean.

_You know,_ he thought, _one day it would be nice to just come here and watch the waves crash upon the shore._ He shook his head, _who am I kidding. Until Cadmus is gone I will never have a moment's peace._

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a pack of cigarettes. He flipped the pack open with his thumb and withdrew one of the long white cancer sticks. He stuck it in his mouth and used heat vision to light it.

_When you need to stand still for a long period of time smoke a cigarette, _he thought to himself, _it's not like it can hurt me anyway._

He tucked the cigarettes back into his pocket then froze as he caught a conversation from a few yards away with his super hearing.

"Are you sure the ship with those new high-tech weapons is coming in tonight?"

"Yes, now shut up before someone hears you."

The boy of steel glanced over at the men who were having the conversation.

Both men were tall baldheaded and well-muscled. They both wore jeans and matching leather jackets.

Connor smiled, dropped the cigarette on the ground, and stamped it out with his foot.

_Thank you boys,_ he thought to himself, _now I know exactly who to watch to lead me to the right ship._

Thirty minutes later, the young kryptonian saw the men moving towards the far end of the docks. He got off the pole and followed them, making sure to stick to the shadows, so he wouldn't be seen.

The two ignored large ships packed full of foreign merchandise.

As they neared the end of the dock, Connor hid behind a cargo container and watched the men go into a cargo ship with no flag of origin flying atop it.

The young kryptonian narrowed his eyes on the ship then scowled. _Why did it have to be lead-based paint?_ He complained to himself, _oh well at least there's no moon tonight._

Connor sprinted out from his hiding place and ran up the ships gangplank. He could feel the gentle rocking of the ship as the waves lapped against it. He found himself at a T junction.

_Let's hope there's no lead-based paint on the inside,_ he mused. The walls faded away to show the skeleton of the ship and its contents. A wide smile spread across the young kryptonian's face.

_Bingo, _he thought.

He turned left down the T junction, keeping his x-ray vision on to search for guards and his ears peeled for approaching footsteps.

He had been making his way through the metal maze that made up the ships hallways for about five minutes when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Scanning around, he saw a nearby door. Racing over to it, he opened it and quickly ducked inside.

_That was close, _he thought as he heard the footsteps fade away.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

_Crap, _Connor cursed mentally.

He turned around with a pleasant smile on his face.

One of the men in leather jackets was standing behind him, pointing a gun at his chest.

The boy of steel raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, "Hey, there's no need for that. I'm Charlie," he said offering his hand to the man, "one of the new deckhands."

The man's gun didn't waver, "Let me see some ID," he said in a gruff voice.

"Sure," Connor said reaching into his inner jacket pocket.

"Hold it," the baldheaded man shouted.

Connor shot the man an exasperated look, "Easy dude, I'm just going for my wallet."

The man lowered his gun ever so slightly.

Seizing his chance, the boy of steel stepped forward with incredible speed and slammed his elbow into the man's face, sending him crumpling to the floor.

The boy of steel slipped out of the room and zoomed along the corridors at super-speed.

_Screw sneaking around,_ he thought as he rocketed down the hallways, _I need to get out of here before someone finds that body._

Arriving at his destination, the young kryptonian grabbed a hold of the arched door and ripped it off its hinges in a chorus of screeching metal.

Tossing the door aside, the boy of steel stepped into the room. The moment he stepped into the room, it lit up with a green glow that caused him to drop to his knees.

_Kryptonite, how could I have been so foolish? _He thought through the haze of pain brought on by the radioactive core of his father's home world.

Gritting his teeth, the boy of steel forced himself to his feet and staggered out of the room. He collapsed to his knees just outside the door panting. He raised a trembling hand and wiped the sweat from his brow.

_I need to be more careful, _he thought. _If I was a pure blood kryptonian that would've been a lot more debilitating._

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. He looked up to see a woman in a skintight green outfit walking towards him with an arrow aimed at his chest.

_This can't be good, _he thought.

The woman's blue eyes never left him and her long blonde hair swayed behind her as she moved.

_She's hot,_ he mused, _but I don't like the look of that bow._

He jumped just as the blonde haired woman released her bowstring. The arrow buried itself into the section of wall where Connor had been.

The boy of steel smashed through the roof of the ship and continued on into the sky.

_You know, _he thought, _I know before I said that I was glad the moon wasn't out, but I could really use its rays right about now. Moonlight doesn't charge me as good as sunlight does, but it would help me regain my strength._

_**PKR**_

The woman in green stared out the hole that project KR made with narrowed eyes. She used her free hand to press a communicator in her ear, "This is project Green Canary. I have flushed out the target. Lock onto my position and bring reinforcements."

_**PKR**_

The clack, clack of helicopter rotors brought the boy of steel out of his thoughts. Four Black Hawk helicopters flew towards him.

The young kryptonian ran a hand down his face and sighed. _This is just not my day, _he thought.

The chatter of machine gun fire filled the night air.

The boy of steel easily dodged around most of the bullets, but winced when a lucky shot would hit him. The kryptonite didn't weaken him enough to make him vulnerable to bullets, but the bullets would leave a bruise.

The shrill squeal of missiles flying through the air caused the young kryptonian's eyes to widen. _Are they really that desperate to get their hands on me? _He thought.

He dodged the missiles, the deadly projectiles continued on to slam into the coast of the city behind him. His fist clenched as he heard the terrified cries of the people. _I'm sorry dad, _he thought,_ but these people are just too dangerous to leave alive._

Two red-hot beams shot from his eyes and cleaved two of the four helicopters in half. Before he could hit a third it veered off to one side and open fire with its machine guns. The boy of steel winced as the bullets flattened against his body before dropping into the ocean below.

Snarling, the young kryptonian thrust his hand forward. Lightning arced down from the sky and slammed into the helicopter. The boy of steel grinned darkly as he heard the men inside cry out in fear.

_It's not too fun when someone's trying to kill you is it? _He thought to himself, _you'll pay for the people you killed tonight._

The helicopter exploded and the fiery wreckage plummeted to its watery grave.

The fourth and final helicopter turned around and attempted to fly away.

_Oh no you don't, _the boy of steel thought. He stretched forth his hand and captured the fleeing helicopter in a sphere of lightning.

He moved over to float before the trapped machine.

"Why are you attacking me?" He asked glaring at the pilot.

"Cadmus ordered us to bring you back," the terrified pilot said.

The boy of steel scowled. _I knew Cadmus was after me,_ he thought_. But to endanger innocent lives_, He shook his head. _I always assume that they attack me when I was with my parents, because they didn't view my parents as human, _he glanced at the burning coast,_ but I guess they don't value any life, _he thought.

He returned his gaze to the terrified pilot, "Why did you fire those missiles? You should have known there was a great chance of you hitting the city."

We were ordered to bring you in by any means necessary, besides there's always collateral damage in war.

"This Is Not War," the boy of steel shouted, "This Is the Governments Mad Grasp for Power," he pointed to the coast.

Fire trucks showed up and began putting out the flames, while rescue workers dug through the rubble for survivors.

"You And Your Friends Probably Killed Hundreds of People. Are You Telling Me You Feel Nothing?"

"I was just following orders," the pilot said as he began to weep.

"You are such a good soldier," Connor sneered, "in fact; you are such a good soldier I think you should die like one." He made a fist, and the lightning cage around the copter shrank vaporizing it in a moment.

Tiny pieces of helicopter fell into the sea below.

The boy of steel turned away and clenched his fists to stop them from shaking. _You can feel bad later, _he told himself. _Right now there are people that need your help._

He floated towards the coastline. He could hear people trapped beneath the rubble calling out for help.

Suddenly an arrow whizzed by his head, he turned around.

The woman in green was running along the ships below. He watched as she ran up the radio tower of the ship closest to him and aimed her bow.

"Listen, I don't have time for this. There are people that need my help."

The slender blonde said nothing; she notched three arrows in her bow and let them fly.

_I don't have time for this,_ the boy of steel thought.

He waved his hand and a wall of air appeared before him.

The arrows struck the wall and exploded, driving the young kryptonian backwards.

The boy of steel shook his head. _That kryptonite must've drained me more than I thought, _he mused.

All of a sudden, he was hit by a sonic scream. He cried out and clamped his hands over his ears in an effort to block out the sound.

Blood began to run down his face as blood vessels ruptured.

Gritting his teeth, the boy of steel focused on the tower the woman in green was standing on. Two red-hot beams shot from his eyes and sliced the tower in half.

The sonic scream cut off abruptly as the tower began to fall.

The woman in green jumped off the tower, as she fell she fired an arrow at the boy of steel.

The tip of the arrow exploded and black cord wrapped around the boy of steel. His body jerked as the woman in green used him to swing to another ship.

She hit the deck and skidded to a stop. Pivoting on her heel, the blonde archer fired an arrow at the boy of steel's back.

Connor snapped the cord and turned around to catch the incoming arrow. He glared at the woman in green, "I've tried to be nice, but I can't afford to play with you any longer. I have people to save."

A click, click, sound drew his attention. The head of the arrow he was holding rotated. His eyes widened, he tried to throw it away, but he couldn't, the arrow was stuck to his hand.

The arrow exploded in a cloud of green gas.

The boy of steel coughed on the green smoke as his vision began to blur.

_Kryptonite laced sleeping gas,_ he thought, _clever._

His eyes drifted closed and he plummeted to the ocean below.

An arrow flew towards him. Its head exploded and cords wrapped around him. He hit the water and slowly began moving.

The woman in green panted lightly as she finished pulling the unconscious boy of steel onto the ship. Taking a moment to rest, she stood up straight and pressed the communicator in her ear, "This is green Canary, I have captured the target. Lock onto my position and pick us up."


	7. Chapter 7

_**The New Beginning of Project Kr**_

_**Chapter 7**_

Connor groaned as he regained consciousness._ Okay, _he thought_, from now on I need to watch out for blondes with bows._ He opened his eyes and winced as bright red light flooded his vision. He slammed them shut then slowly open them, giving them a chance to adjust to the light.

He was in a large room with the tile floor. The whole room was bathed in a red glow. _So,_ he thought, I'm in a room under red solar lamps, and from the queasiness in my stomach they've bound my arms behind my back with kryptonite laced restraints. He shook his head. _They did a pretty good job of restraining me. Since my body absorbs solar energy faster than my fathers, I will lose my powers quicker than he does under a red sun._

He smirked. _Unfortunately for them, I'm also half Amazon._ He flexed his arms and shattered the restraints. Rising to his feet, the young kryptonian rubbed his wrist. _Note to self, _he mused, _kryptonite laced restraints burn my skin._

Shaking his head, the young kryptonian focused his eyes on the door to his cell. _Okay,_ he thought, _my x-ray visions out. That probably means my heat visions out too. Since I can't hear anything I'm guessing my super hearings out._

He walked over to the heavy metal door of his cell and tapped it lightly with a knuckle. _I could open this,_ he considered, _even with my reduced strength, but that would let my captors know I escaped. In my weakened state I need to be more subtle._

He shook his head. _I can't take on an entire army in my weakened condition. I don't know how invulnerable I am after being under this red sunlight, so that only leaves me with one option._

He stepped over to the wall beside the door and sank his fingers into the metal.

The metal gave a soft screech, but thankfully it wasn't loud enough to draw any guard's attention.

He climbed to the top of his cell and hung from the ceiling by his fingers and toes.

After waiting for about five minutes, the young kryptonian heard footsteps approaching his cell.

"I'm entering the prisoner's cell," he heard on the other side of the door.

The door to his cell opened and a guard wearing black armor stepped into the room.

The guard froze when he saw Connor was no longer in his chair. He unclipped a walkie-talkie from his belt and raised it to his lips.

Seizing his chance, the young kryptonian leapt off the ceiling with a roar and slammed into the guard.

The sound of snapping bones echoed through the room along with a gurgling sound.

Connor looked down at the guard with wide eyes. _What have I done?_ He thought.

The guard's chested been crushed and his head was twisted at an odd angle. Blood spilled from his mouth and pooled onto the floor. His eyes had popped out of their sockets and were now painting bloody streams down his face.

The site caused images to flash through the boy of steel's mind. He remembered using heat vision on the helicopters that attacked him. He shuddered as he remembered the pleasure he felt watching them fall into the sea.

_How could I take pleasure in something like that?_ He asked himself.

He began to shake his he remembered destroying the last two helicopters with lightning. He remembered his cruel words to the terrified soldier.

_I had no right to kill that man,_ he thought, _but that man killed thousands,_ said a little voice in the back of his mind.

He shook his head. _It doesn't matter. I have no right to play judge, jury, and executioner._

He bit the inside of his cheek and clinched his fist to stop himself from shaking. _You can question your past actions later, _he told himself, right now you need to escape.

He knelt down and began stripping the guard's clothes off. Once he was done he folded the close beside him in the pile and began removing his own clothes.

After removing his own clothes, the young kryptonian put on the guard's clothes, thanking whatever deity was up there that they fit. Once he was dressed he put his clothes on the guard.

He winced when he heard the sound of bones grinding together as he readjusted the guard's neck. Once the guard was dressed, the young kryptonian removed the fake hair from his face and placed it on the guard.

When he was done he gazed down at the man, "I'm sorry I killed you," he told him. He picked the guard up, walked over, and set him in his chair. He then removed sip ties from his pocket and tied the man's hands behind his back.

After that he walked around and made sure the guards head was laying against his chest.

Hopefully the next guard that checked on him wouldn't look very close.

The young kryptonian pulled his visor down and walked out of the room. Once he was out in the hallway, he removed the walkie-talkie from his belt and pressed the button on the side.

"All clear," he told the person on the other end, mimicking the guard's voice perfectly, "the targets still unconscious."

"Roger that," someone on the other end replied, "continue your patrol."

Connor placed the walkie-talkie back on his belt and walked down the hallway. _Thank you dad for teaching me how to mimic voices,_ he thought.

The young kryptonian walked through the stark white hallways that made up whatever complex he was in nodding to the guards he passed. _Always act like you're supposed to be there and no one will question you,_ he thought to himself

After fifteen minutes with only the sounds of his footsteps echoing off the tile floor, Connor began to get frustrated. _Come on, he thought, how big is this place?_

Turning down yet another bleached white hallway, the young kryptonian found himself before a set of massive metal doors. _Bingo,_ he thought.

He let his eyes scanned the door for a way to open it. _There's no way I'm going to be able to pull that open with my current strength,_ he mused.

His eyes landed on a card reader set into the wall beside the door. _Please let me have one of those cards,_ he thought to himself as he searched his pockets. He smiled when he pulled out a card with a picture of the guard whose clothes he now wore on it.

He walked over to the card reader; made sure the magnetic strip on the card was facing down, and then swiped it through the machine. The red light on the card reader flashed green and the door slid open with a hiss of compressed air.

Connor stepped into the large room beyond the doors.

The room was packed full of long wooden tables. A vast array of high-tech computer equipment filled each table along with test tubes filled with glowing chemicals in a rainbow of colors. A man in a white lab coat stood before three large tanks with bodies floating in them.

At the sound of the young kryptonian's footsteps the man turned. He was tall with a round face and a receding hairline. He wore round glasses and a gray T-shirt under his lab coat that read science rules.

"John, what are you doing here?" He asked.

Connor paused. So, that guards name was _John,_ he thought,_ I'll have to send his family some flowers._

He shook his head, "I just came to check on the latest projects."

The balding man shook his head, "Same old John," he turned back to the tanks and waved Connor over with his free hand, "well come on."

Connor walked over to stand beside him. When he was close enough he chanced a quick glance down at the guards name tag, "So Frank, how are they doing?"

"Better than I could ever hope for," Frank said with excitement in his voice, "Dr. Sturgis and Dr. Diamonds notes really helped us stabilize their DNA," he gestured to the four tanks, "when these projects are done. They will be the ultimate weapon against the justice league should they ever turn evil."

"What about their wants and desires? Don't they deserve more than being just weapons."

Frank snorted, "When did you get so soft John?"

"I'm not getting soft," Connor said feigning indignity, "but if this was my kid. I would want something more for them than just a life of battle."

Frank took off his glasses and rubbed his beady brown eyes, "See but that's the thing John, these things aren't human. They are weapons to do our bidding."

Connor nodded, his face was devoid of emotion, but his fist clenched at his sides. _I originally thought the higher ups were the only bad people in Cadmus, but I guess the whole organization is rotten,_ he thought to himself.

In the blink of an eye, the young kryptonian's slammed his elbow into Frank's temple, sending the pudgy man crumpling to the floor.

He looked down at the man with hatred in his eyes, "You're lucky I already have too much blood on my hands."

He turned to the tank, "I wish I could give you all a life free of battle, but I can't. So I'll do the next best thing." He withdrew a knife from his belt and cut the power and life-support cables to each tank. Tears streamed down his face as he cut the wires to the final tank and alarms began to blare, signaling the deaths of the people inside, "May you find peace in the afterlife."

He walked over to a laptop on a nearby table, sat down in a padded chair, and pulled himself up to it. His fingers moved across the keyboard with practiced ease. According to what he was seeing here he was on a massive ship in the middle of the ocean.

Now that he knew where he was, the young kryptonian began searching for things that could tell him Cadmus's future plans. He had just begun hacking into Cadmus's network when alarms began to blare.

"Project KR has escaped. He is wearing the uniform of Cmdr. John Corbett, detain him at all cost."

So much for moving around unseen, Connor thought to himself. He flipped over the laptop and removed its hard drive. He tucked the hard drive in his Kevlar vest and sprinted towards the door.

The door hissed open and the young kryptonian froze. Men in black tactical armor stood before him, their M-16's aimed at his chest.

Fortunately for Connor, the men seemed as surprised to see him as he was to see them. Seizing the moment, the young kryptonian sprinted down an adjacent hallway.

Machine gun fire echoed after him. He could hear the bullets impacting the wall behind him.

_Come on where is the exit sign when you need one,_ Connor thought as he rounded a corner.

Machine gun fire filled his ears. The young kryptonian gritted his teeth as high-powered bullets impacted his body, driving him backwards.

Connor leaned against the wall breathing shallowly. _Man that hurt,_ he mused, _but at least I know I'm still invulnerable. However I know I'm going to have bruises in the morning._

The young kryptonian thrust his hand outward. A gust of wind shot from his hand in slammed into the guards, knocking them over like bowling pins. He sprinted down the hallway, not caring if he stepped on bodies.

He scowled as he saw that he was coming up on a dead-end. _Crap,_ he thought.

He crossed his arms and increased his speed. He slammed into the wall with incredible force, smashing through it with little resistance.

_If you can't find an exit, make one,_ he thought. He looked around. He was in another part of the ship. From the look of the walls and the pipes hanging from the ceiling he would say he was near the bottom of the ship.

Glancing around the young kryptonian saw a staircase set into the far wall and smiled. _Finally, a way out,_ he thought.

After a few minutes of sprinting up stairs, Connor found himself in front of a door that read. Deck watch your step.

Smiling, the young kryptonian pushed open the door. Machine gun fire filled Connor's ears again and bullets slammed into his body, nearly driving him back down the stairs. Fortunately the moonlight shining into the doorway energized him just enough to help him withstand the metal barrage.

He gritted his teeth against the pain. Each bullet felt like a punch from his father. He raised his hand and something amazing happened, the bullets froze in mid-flight.

_What's going on?_ He wondered. Suddenly, the young kryptonian realized he could do more with his power over electricity than just shoot lightning. He now knew how to manipulate magnetic fields and so much more.

He flipped his fingers downwards and the bullets fell to the deck with a clatter. He then stretched forth his hand and shut down the electrical impulses and the guard's brains, sending them to the deck unconscious.

Connor stepped out onto the deck of the ship and smiled as the cool night air caressed his face. _Ah,_ he thought, it's good to be free.

"Hold it right there!"

_Or not,_ Connor mused with a sigh.

The young kryptonian turned around with hands raised and came face to face with the woman in green, "Oh hi," he said with a smile, "it's you again. I don't believe I caught your name before."

The woman in green raised her bow and pointed it at his head, "My name is not important. What is important is that you return to your cell."

"Aw, don't be like that. You're the first woman that has tried to kill me," his eyes drifted up in thought, "well the first woman that has tried to kill me and actually mean it. So it's only right that I know your name. After all, your first is always special."

The woman in green paused stared at her pray with wide eyes. _What on earth is up with this man,_ she wondered to herself. Against her will she found herself answering, "My name is Green Canary."

Connor smiled dazzlingly and began to lower his hands…

"Keep them up," Green Canary ordered.

_Okay, _Connor thought, _so she is a woman that likes to be in control._ He shook his head and turned his attention back to Green Canary. "Green Canary, a beautiful name for a beautiful woman," he said letting his eyes wander over her body.

She was tall and slender with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a skintight green bodysuit that hugged her curves. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and a green mask covered the upper part of her face.

A quiver of arrows hung on her back. She held a high-tech looking bow in her left hand the string pulled taut with her right. An arrow was aimed at his head, it's point reflecting the moonlight.

Green Canary rolled her eyes. _Does this guy really think that's going to work on me, she thought_. She shook her head, "Well come on, get moving back to your cell."

"I think not," Connor said. In the blink of an eye, the young kryptonian removed a knife from his belt and threw it at the young archer.

Green Canary knocked the knife away with her bow, but lost sight of her prey.

Seizing his chance, Connor slammed his foot into the female archer stomach, sending her stumbling backwards. He shifted his weight and brought his other foot around in a roundhouse kick. His kick slammed into her bow, sending it flying from her hands.

They began circling each other.

"You're good," Green Canary commented.

"So are you," Connor replied.

"So," Connor began, "why have you been trying to kill me?"

Green Canary waited till they did a complete circle before answering, "I haven't been trying to kill you."

"Oh?"

"Yes," Green Canary said nodding, "I've been trying to capture you."

Connor narrowed his eyes. _I don't like the sound of that,_ he thought.

"Why have you been trying to capture me?"

Green Canary locked eyes with the young kryptonian. "I was created by combining the DNA of Black Canary and Green Arrow. I was created for the sole purpose to be your partner should the justice league ever go rogue."

Connor's eyes widened. _She's like me,_ he thought, _except she didn't escape Cadmus's grip._

Green Canary continued to speak oblivious to Connor's thoughts, "When you escaped I was charged with capturing you and returning you to Cadmus for reprogramming."

Connor shook his head, "So, Cadmus wants you to capture me, so they can turn me into their loyal soldier?"

"Yes."

Connor narrowed his eyes and squared his jaw, "That's not going to happen. I'm not going to be the government's obedient dog."

For the first time Connor saw emotion leak into green Canary's bright blue eyes.

"Please Kr," she begged, "please come back to Cadmus. I don't want to have to kill the one person I admire."

Connor raised an eyebrow, "You admire me?"

"Of course, you were the only project in Cadmus strong enough to escape," she looked away, "I was forced to kill all the other projects to earn my freedom."

Connor looked down at the ground. _So this is what would've happen to me if I wouldn't have escaped Cadmus,_ he thought, _I would've been a foot soldier, going after anyone Cadmus told me to regardless of my own desires._

He tore his eyes from the ground and stared into green Canary's eyes, "You and I were meant to be partners right?"

Green Canary nodded.

"Then be my partner now."

Green Canary's eyes widened, "What?"

"Let me take you away from here, let me show you the outside world. Let me show you there's more to the world than battle, blood, and death."

Green Canary bit her lip and shifted from foot to foot. _Can I do that?_ She asked herself,_ can I leave Cadmus, and become a hunted woman like Project Kr?_

Her eyes hardened, _No,_ she thought, _I will not live the rest of my life in fear of Cadmus. I would rather serve them then spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder._

She looked at Kr with the firm jaw, but regret in her eyes, "I'm sorry, but I can't abandon Cadmus. I will not live the rest of my life being chased by them."

Connor sighed and nodded slowly, "I guess that's it then."

"I guess it is," Green Canary agreed.

"Can you at least do me one favor?" The young kryptonian asked.

"What?" Green Canary asked eyeing him suspiciously.

"Can you at least change your name to Artemis?"

Green Canary raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Artemis is the goddess of the hunt in Greek mythology. If you take on her name that will give you a little bit of an identity beyond Cadmus's creation."

_I would like to be known as something beyond project Green Canary,_ the woman in green thought to herself.

She turned back to Kr, "I couldn't tell anyone."

"That's fine, as long as you have something to give you a little bit of self I don't care."

Green Canary nodded, "Alright then."

Connor cocked his head to one side. The moonlight began restoring his powers. He could just make out the sound of guards approaching. He turned to the now named Artemis, "I hear guards approaching, so I guess we better fight."

"I guess so."

Artemis opened her mouth and released a sonic scream that sent Connor flying backwards. The young kryptonian hit the deck hard and rolled to a stop.

Connor rose to his feet with a groan and one hand placed against his head._ Just my luck, he thought, I get hit by a sonic blasts just as my super hearing returns._ The boy of steel dabbed a finger in his ear, it came away bloody and he scowled.

The young kryptonian could just make out the sound of the guards drawing closer over the ringing in his ears. By how close their footsteps sounded they were on the last staircase before reaching the door that led onto the deck. He scowled. _The guards are coming quicker than I thought. As much as I want to fight Artemis and see who's better. The guards are coming too quickly for it to be a fair fight, and I'm not yet up to full strength._

Knowing he didn't have the strength to take on Artemis and the Cadmus guards, the young kryptonian sprinted towards the edge of the ship and jumped over the side.

After blasting Kr a way, Artemis sprinted towards her bow she snatched up her bow and turned just in time to see Kr jump over the side of the ship. She notched a blunt kryptonite laced arrow and fired.

Connor was less than a foot away from the water when something struck him in the back of the head and his world went dark.

_**PKR**_

A woman in a white toga surrounded by women in Greek armor stared down at the man in strange black clothing that had washed up on her shores.

"What do you want us to do queen Hippolyta?" A soldier asked.

"The laws of the island are clear. Any man that appears on Themiscira is to be put to death."

The Queen had no sooner than finished her statement when thunder boomed and lightning flashed across the sky.

The guards froze and Hippolyta looked up at the sky with a frown on her face. _Why would Zeus want to bend the rules for this boy?_ She wondered.

She shook her head and turned to her guard, "Change of plans take him to the dungeon."

The guard snapped to attention, "At once my Queen."

The warrior women grabbed the unconscious boy by the arms and dragged him unceremoniously towards the island prison.


	8. Chapter 8

_**The New Beginning of Project Kr **_

_**Chapter 8**_

Connor awoke to the feeling of a cold stone floor under him and the sound of something scurrying nearby. _Please let that be a really large cat, _he thought to himself. Opening his eyes, the young kryptonian found himself in a dungeon, lying on a stone floor that was covered in a thin veil of hay.

_I think I like my last accommodations better,_ he mused. He turned towards the scurrying sound. A large rat the size of a house cat moved in the corner of his cell, it's sleek black hair glistening in the sunlight that flowed through his tiny window.

He rose to his feet and moved over to the cell window. He sat down in the beam of sunlight and sighed. He could feel his energy returning as his body soaked up the rays of the sun. _Yep, _he thought, _I definitely liked my old accommodations better, but at least this cell has a window._

The young kryptonian was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. A woman in Greek armor appeared before his cell, her long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her green eyes stared at him with a hint of disgust.

_Okay,_ Connor mused, _either I've done something to make this woman angry, or she really doesn't like men. _

He gave her body a once over. She was wearing a bronze chest plate, a skirt made of leather strips, and Brown leather sandals. A helm with a red plumes sat atop her head, and a spear was clutched in her right hand.

_Did I get sent to the past? H_e wondered. He shook his head. _No, I can't be in the past._

The redhead's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "I see you're awake," she said with barely hidden malice in her voice.

"I am," Connor said with a pleasant smile on his face.

The redhead scowled, "Good, the Queen will call for you shortly. Until then stay quiet." She turned and began to leave.

"Wait," Connor called.

His warden paused halfway out of sight.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

"Themiscira," the redhead answered before walking away.

Connor's eyes widened. _Who would've thought I would end up in my mother's homeland,_ he thought to himself. He shook his head with a sly smile on his face. _That explains their hatred of men. Although, I can't help but be excited to finally learn more about my mother's people._

For the next hour, the young kryptonian sat in his cell soaking up sunlight through his small window._ I wonder if I can get something to eat, _he mused. He shuddered as he pictured his guard's reaction to his request. _I think I'll just wait._

Suddenly, an explosion shook the island.

The boy of steel sprang to his feet and sprinted to the doors of his cell. He caught sight of his guard running towards the exit. "Hey," he called, "what's going on?"

His guard ignored him and sprinted away.

Sighing, the young kryptonian grabbed the bars of his cell. With a sharp yank he tore the door from its hinges, threw it aside, and stepped out of his cell. He hurried past the other cells and out of the dungeon, towards the sounds of battle.

Sunlight blanketed him as he left the prison, filling his body with new energy.

He glanced behind him.

The building he was imprisoned in was a large spiral tower in the middle of a dense jungle. It had no windows and a single door, making escape almost impossible for any normal prisoner.

A chorus of inhuman roars filled the jungle.

The young kryptonian turned and dashed in the direction of the roars.

Connor weaved through the trees, ignoring the branches that slapped his body.

Suddenly, a skeleton burst out of the forest and appeared in front of him. Its rusted Greek armor glinted in the light shining through the forest canopy.

The skeleton charged forward with the clack, clack of bones grinding together.

Connor fired a red blast from his eyes, vaporizing the undead soldier in moments.

_There's only one person I know of that can command the dead,_ the boy of steel thought increasing his speed, _I just hope there's a new less dangerous player that I don't know about behind this._

The forest fell away to reveal the shores of Themiscira.

Minotaurs, Hell hounds, and skeletal soldiers filled the beach.

Beautiful female warriors moved with the grace of long practiced moves. Their bronze armor glinted in the sunlight as they hacked, slashed, and stabbed the creatures of the underworld.

_Beautiful,_ Connor thought as an Amazon drove a spear through a Minotaurs chest. The young kryptonian's eyes widened when he saw a Minotaur approaching from the Amazons blind spot.

He sprinted forward, leapt into the air, and drove his fist into the bullheaded creature's jaw, sending it flying through the air and bouncing along the ocean surface.

The Amazon sliced off a skeleton's head then turned to scowl at the young kryptonian, "What are you doing here?"

_So much for a thank you, _the boy of steel thought. "I'm just here to help," he said driving his foot into a hell hounds head.

The massive black dogs red eyes dimmed and the sulfurous yellow smoke billowing from its mouth stopped. It fell to the ground with the front of its large head caved in.

Connor turned back to the Amazon.

She was surrounded by a pile of monstrous bodies. She sat atop an eight foot tall Minotaurs barreled chest panting. Blood poured from the creature's headless body.

_Okay, _Connor thought, _I'm officially impressed. _He shook his head, "How did this happen?"

The Amazon turned to him with a scowl on her face then sighed. She swept her brown hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear before answering, "I don't know. The monsters just suddenly appeared all over the island."

Connor scowled, "Was there anything specific about the way they appeared?"

"They appeared with a burst of fire and a whiff of sulfur."

_Damn,_ Connor thought, _I was hoping I was wrong. _His eyes hardened and À grave expression settled on his face, "There's only one person that has control over monsters like this."

"Who?"

Connor looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "I'm surprised you have to ask."

The brown haired Amazon gave him a withering look.

Connor raised his hands in surrender. _Man these women can't take a joke,_ he thought.

"Hades, he's the only one that can control these monsters."

The Amazon's eyes widened, we need to get to the Palace at once.

Connor nodded, stepped forward, and scooped the Amazon up in his arms. Ignoring her protests, the boy of steel lifted into the air and shot towards an ornate marble building with a domed roof.

The young kryptonian glared down at the island and used his heat vision to eradicate as many monsters as he could. _There's just so many, _he thought.

Glancing towards the ornate marble building that he assumed was the royal palace, Connor made sure he was flying in the right direction then closed his eyes.

Dark gray storm clouds settled over the island, lightning flashed and wind howled. Huge lightning bolts stab down into the most heavily monster infested areas, vaporizing the unfortunate beasts in moments.

Tornadoes swept over the island dodging around trees and barely damaging the grass. The massive columns of wind picked up monsters and threw them high into the air. They were then caught by gust of wind and carried far away from the island.

Opening his eyes, Connor blinked the sweat from his vision and smiled. _That was kind of fun,_ he thought. He glanced down at the ground, and scowled as he saw bodies lying unmoving in the dense jungle, _I just hope it was enough to save some lives._

The boy of steel landed before the palace and had just enough time to see gravel paths leading through jungle to other locations before he was surrounded by women, the tips of their weapons pointed at various parts of his body.

_Oh come on,_ he thought.

He glanced around. Each of the women stared at him with hatred in their eyes.

He sighed and took a deep breath, "Yes I Am a Man, Yes I Have a Penis, No I Don't Want to Die, so could you please lower your weapons?"

The tension in the air was broken. The women stared at him with wide eyes.

_What is wrong with this man? T_hey asked themselves.

_I wonder if I can get something to eat,_ Connor mused. He glanced at the weapons still pointed at his body, _probably not._

He was brought out of his thoughts when his redheaded guard appeared before him. She stared at him with hard eyes.

_This isn't going to be fun, _the boy of steel thought.

His redheaded guard pointed a silver dagger at his heart, "How did you escape your cell?"

"Hi my name is Connor, what's yours?" The boy of steel asked ignoring her question.

His guard's eyes hardened. She jabbed her dagger into his chest, and the boy of steel winced as the blade cut his skin.

_Magic weapons,_ he thought, _why did it have to be Magic weapons?_

He sighed, "I ripped the bars off my cell and walked out," his eyes hardened, "I could've done that any time."

"Why did you help us?"

"The island was being attacked by monsters. What did you expect me to do? Just sit in my cell and let people die."

All the women gave him a look that said that's exactly what they expected.

_Mom was right,_ Connor thought, _her sisters do not have a high opinion of men._

He shook his head, "Could I please see the Queen?" The moment the boy of steel asked the question he knew something was wrong. The women tensed and looked away.

The young kryptonian's eyes narrowed, "What happened?"

His redheaded guard looked at him, "The Queen was captured by the sorceress Circe and taken into the underworld."

_Damn, _Connor thought, _Circe would be hard enough to deal with, but if she's teamed up with Hades… _He left the thought hanging and shook his head, _it doesn't matter._

He stared at his guard with eyes full of determination, "I will get the Queen back."

The redhead snorted, "You're going to go into the underworld, fight Circe and Hades, beat them, and rescue our Queen."

"Yes."

The redhead looked away. "Arrogant man," she muttered.

She turned back to him, "Why would you risk your life for someone you don't know?"

_Somehow, I don't think that she's my grandmother and family is the most important thing in the world to me would go over well,_ Connor thought.

"Because it's the right thing to do."

The redhead opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak a lightning bolt jutted down from the sky and slammed into the young man before her.

When the light faded, the boy before her had changed. He was now wearing Roman armor with a lightning bolt emblazoned on the chest plate. A kilt made of leather straps with metal plates nailed to them was wrapped around his waist.

Heavy metal boots shielded his legs, and thick gauntlets protected his arms. A metal helmet with a yellow plume on top seemed to absorb the sunlight that shone down on it.

All in all, the boy's new look terrified her. Images of soldiers invading Themiscira and raping her and her sister's flash through her mind. She clenched her fist hard enough to draw blood to drive the images out. When she came back to herself, she saw the boy standing before her looking concerned

She scowled. _I can't afford to show weakness here,_ she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Lord Zeus has blessed Connor's quest," she nearly choked on his name, "we will not defy Lord Zeus by trying to kill him," she turned to glare at Connor, "but he better not fail."

Connors jaw tightened and his eyes clouded with determination, "Don't worry, I will not fail." He stretched forth his hand. A spear with a golden shaft and appoint made of pure lightning appearing in it.

The boy of steel turned to face the other Amazons. He raised his spear high in the air, "I swear on the river Styx, that I will return your Queen. If I don't then I will be your servant forever."

Thunder boomed at Connor's promise.

The women stood there with their mouths wide open. For a man to make that type of promise, it was unbelievable.

The boy of steel turned to his guard, "Will you lead me to the gates of the underworld?"

The redhead nodded. She snapped her mouth shut and turned to walk down one of the gravel paths.

_I really hope I don't screw this up,_ Connor thought following behind her, _I hate to think what these women would have me do if I was their servant._

Connor followed his redheaded guard through the dense jungle of Themiscira. He reached up and pulled a banana from one of the trees hanging above him. He peeled the banana then brought it to his lips and paused.

_That's strange,_ he thought. Under the scent of rich earth, the boy of steel could smell just a hint of sulfur. Now that he thought about it the jungle was too quiet. It was as if all the animals within it were holding their breath waiting for something to happen.

_A jungle this rich with plant life should be brimming with animals, but it's dead silent._

_This can't be a good sign,_ the boy of steel thought, _for something to trigger the survival instincts of every animal in the jungle. It must be incredibly powerful._

Shrugging, the boy of steel took a bite of his banana. _I'll think on that later, _he mused, right now. _I need to save my grandmother._

They walked deeper into the forest.

Connor noticed the trees around them were broken off the deeper they went into the forest. Some just had missing limbs, others were pushed over, and then there were some that were completely snapped in half. He glanced at the redheaded Amazon beside him, "Is this normal?"

The redhead removed her sword from her belt and glanced around with a scowl on her face, "No."

The putrid smell of rotten meat and blood hit Connors nose.

The boy of steel coughed. _Oh that is awful, _he thought.

Suddenly a Minotaur burst from the forest.

It was eight foot tall with a barrel chest and arms like tree trunks.

The bullheaded creature roared. Slobber flew from its mouth as it charged forward.

Its cloven feet carried it across the fertile earth with surprising speed. It removed a massive club from its back and raised it high above its head as it closed the distance between it and its prey

Connor spun his spear and stabbed it forward. Lightning arced from his spear and slammed into the legendary creature's chest, sending it flying backwards.

The beast hit the ground with a thud, causing the earth to tremble.

Seizing his chance, the young kryptonian sprinted forward and leapt into the air.

He raised his spear high above his head and brought it down piercing the creature's eye.

With a jerking twisting motion, Connor removed his spear along with the creature's eye. _That is nasty,_ he thought with his nose twisted in disgust.

The redheaded Amazon walked forward, knelt down, and stared at the dead Minotaur.

She glanced up at the boy of steel, "That was an impressive kill, quick and clean. Who taught you how to fight?"

Connor tensed, "That is something only for the Queen's ears."

The redhead frowned but nodded. She rose to her feet and brushed off her knees, "Come on, if that Minotaur was here. It means that the doors of the underworld are open."

Connor nodded. They sprinted through the forest, the trees moving past them in a blur.

After twenty minutes, the jungle fell away to reveal a circular clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a massive temple made of ebony stones covered in thick green vines.

Columns set on either side of a gold door. A top the columns were braziers of green fire.

Lying at the bottom of each column was a dead Amazon.

Both beautiful women's bodies had been crushed. Their glassy eyes stared up at the sky seeing nothing.

The redheaded woman sprinted forward. She dropped to her knees and cradled her sister's heads to her bosom.

Tears began to stream down her face.

_Why is this world so full of death? _Connor wondered.

The young kryptonian was brought out of his thoughts by a female voice.

"Phoebe, is that you?"

The young kryptonian and the redheaded Amazon turned, their eyes widening as they saw the spirit of the woman the weeping Amazon had been holding.

"Ariana," the now named Phoebe choked, "how is this possible?"

Ariana smiled sadly, Connor couldn't tell much about her features in her spiritual form, but from what he could see she had been a beautiful woman.

"Such a waste," the young kryptonian thought, "that someone so young and beautiful died at such an early age."

"Yes sister it's me. The doors of the underworld are open, so the spirits normally trapped inside can walk the earth." Ariana's face turned serious, "sister you must save our Queen. Hades plans to kill her and start a war with Zeus."

Connor stepped forward his face full of determination, "Don't worry, I'm not going to let that happen."

Ariana looked at him with a smile on her face, "it's fitting that Diana's son would come and save us in our hour of need."

Connor's eyes widened and Phoebe's head snapped in his direction.

_How did I not see it before?_ Phoebe asked herself, _he fights so similar to an Amazon._

Connor sighed and his shoulder slumped, "How did you know?"

Ariana smiled sadly, "There's not much that can be hidden from the dead," she walked forward and placed her ghostly hand on Connor's shoulder, sending a shiver down his spine, "your mother would be proud of you, but she would be furious that you erased her memories of you."

"It was for their protection. As long as Cadmus is after me no one I love is safe."

Ariana gave him a hard look, "It's not a child's job to protect their parents."

Connor turned his back on Ariana, "We're wasting time. We need to rescue Hippolyta."

Ariana sighed and nodded, "You are right of course, be safe young Prince."

Connor's eyes widened. He glanced back, but Ariana had already faded away. He shook his head and turned to Phoebe, "Can you escort me to the gates of the underworld?"

Phoebe lowered her sister's head to the ground and rose to her feet, "Of course."

Together, they pushed open the Golden doors and went inside.

Once they were inside, Connor turned to Phoebe, "What is this place?"

"The Temple of Hades."

The boy of steel raised an eyebrow, "You hid the door to the underworld in the temple of Hades?"

"No matter what he's done, Hades is still a god, and he deserves our respect."

Connor shook his head and looked around.

The temple was dark. The only light came from miniscule cracks in the walls and braziers of Greek fire set at the four corners of the room.

Columns filled the room connected together by long streams of cobwebs. Broken pieces of pottery littered the floor, crunching under their feet as they made their way through the temple.

"You know for someone you supposedly respect, this place is in pretty bad shape."

Phoebe glanced at him, "I said we respected Hades. Not that we liked him."

They reached the other end of the temple and stopped before a set of stairs descending down into the earth.

Wind blew up from the staircase, sounding like a ghostly wail.

Connor glanced at Phoebe, "Was that the wind?"

Phoebe smirked, "You tell me?"

_Oh that's not creepy at all, _the boy of steel thought as they began descending the stairs.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and found themselves in a large chamber. Skeletons in Greek armor littered the floor. Swords, spears, daggers, and shields were stabbed into the ground like grave markers for all the souls that had died here.

Amidst the skeletons and weapons were four fresh bodies. These had their legs and arms ripped off. Blood pooled on the ground around the stumps. The remains of the limbs lay a short distance away. They look like they had been eaten off of.

The metallic smell of blood hung heavy in the air.

The young kryptonian spit on the ground trying to get the coppery taste of blood out of his mouth._ I really hope this is just my brain playing tricks on me. I hope I am not really tasting these fine warriors blood, _he thought.

Shaking his head, Connor glanced at a shaking Phoebe, "More guards?"

"Yes," Phoebe said in a broken voice, "I hoped when the staircase wasn't guarded. That at least two of the guards had escaped, but I should've known they wouldn't run from their duty."

Connor walked forward and placed his hand on Phoebe's shoulder, causing her to tense. He waited to see if she was going to shrug his hand off. When she didn't he spoke, "Don't worry I will make sure Hades and Circe pay for this."

Phoebe nodded and led Connor to a massive door set in the far wall. The door was cracked open and a thin beam of red light shone through the crack.

Phoebe stopped before the door, "At least the door to the underworld is not all the way open. If it was Themiscira would have fallen."

Connor nodded and began to walk forward.

"Wait!"

The young kryptonian paused and glanced over his shoulder.

Phoebe stepped forward biting her lower lip and her hands clasped before her, "Come back safe. I don't want to have to tell your mother you died."

Connor nodded, "Thank you for your concern, but mother doesn't remember me."

"You're going to have to explain that when you get back."

"Like I said that is only for the Queen's ears."

The boy of steel walked forward, squeezed inside the door, and into the underworld.


	9. Chapter 9

**The New Beginning of Project Kr**

**Chapter 9**

Connor fell through the flaming vortex that led to the underworld. He placed his spear on his back and a holster appeared on his back securing the spear to his body. He winced as the flames around him singed his invulnerable skin. _Maybe I should have thought this through, _he mused, _if the portal can singe my skin. What will the actual underworld be like?_

His gaze hardened when a hole appeared below. _Here we go, _he thought. He fell into the underworld. A black dust cloud flew into the air as he impacted the dark sand of Hades.

The moment the young kryptonian touchdown in the land of the dead all the guilt he had suppressed came to the surface. Grabbing his head he cried out as images filled his mind.

He saw his parents scouring the earth looking for him. He saw his mother going into his room at night and weeping on his empty bed. He saw the pilots of the helicopters glaring at him accusingly and calling him a monster. He saw John Corbett asking him why he had to die.

"I'm sorry mom," he cried out, "I didn't mean to make you cry." He shook his head, "No, I'm not a monster."

He was so submerged in his inner turmoil he didn't notice the mist gathering around him. The mist rose up and began to take shape. Soon ghostly soldiers in combat fatigues stood before the young kryptonian glaring down at him.

"You killed us," they said in one angry chorus, "you will pay."

They stretched forth their ghostly appendages and stab their pale fingers into Connor's flesh.

The unnatural cold brought him out of his nightmarish thoughts. He cried out as the pain hit him. It felt like a thousand knives made of ice were stabbing into his nervous system. He watched unable to move as the spirits pulled long streams of white energy out of him.

It felt like his body was being submerged in ice. A tingling sensation filled his limbs, like the kind you get when a limb falls asleep. He noticed through the haze of pain that the ghosts seem to be becoming more solid.

_This is it, _he thought, _I am about to die. Maybe I deserve it for killing those people; maybe this is my punishment, to spend eternity in the underworld._

_Pathetic, _a voice sneered in his mind, causing the young kryptonian to jump.

_Who's there? _Connor thought.

Bright light flashed before his eyes. When it cleared he found himself in a white void.

A well-muscled man stood before him, his Greek toga showing off his muscled legs and arms. Leather wristbands decorated his thick wrists. Matching leather sandals adorned his large feet. His long white hair flowed down his muscular back while his braided white beard flowed almost to his waist.

He stared at Connor with eyes full of disapproval.

Connor could see bolts of electricity dancing through the light blue orbs.

_Krypto, I don't think were in Kansas anymore,_ he thought. He opened his mouth to ask the man who he was, but the white haired man spoke first.

"So, this is my daughter's son," he shook his head, "Pathetic. To think I actually believed you could save Queen Hippolyta."

Connor bristled at the man's words, but took a deep breath to calm himself. _Well, _he mused, _I guess that answers the question of who this man is._

The young kryptonian rose to his feet, "Lord Zeus it is an…"

"Do not speak boy," Zeus bellowed, "cowards like you do not deserve to speak."

Connor's fists tightened and red energy billowed from his eyes, "I am not a coward," he shouted back.

Zeus raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really," he questioned his voice tinged with disbelief and amusement, "then why are you so overwhelmed by your own gilt that you would let puny spirits defeat you?"

_What's he talking about? _The boy of steel wondered. Images flashed before his eyes of ghostly soldiers digging their spectral fingers into his flesh. _That's right. I was attacked by John Corbett, and the soldiers that piloted those helicopters. _He looked down, and his anger faded, _but maybe that's the price I pay for killing those men._

Zeus's fist clenched as he saw Connor look down with sadness in his eyes. "I should've sent Hercules to rescue Hippolyta," he sneered, he looked up in thought, "Maybe I could've given him the Amazons as a reward."

Connor froze, _The Amazons as Hercules's playthings._ He remembered the horrors the Amazons experienced at the hands of Hercules the first time they met him. He could only imagine what the god of strength would do to them if they were forced to obey his every whim. _That's not going to happen, _he promised himself.

Lightning arced off his body and his eyes blazed red as he glared up at Zeus. "Hercules will not touch the Amazons," he shouted at the god of thunder defiantly.

"Then prove to me I did not choose wrong by backing you in this quest," The thunder god sneered, "if you don't then my son will have some new playthings."

Connor found himself back in the underworld with the ghost of the dead pilots pulling his life force from his body. He released all of his rage at Zeus in a blast of red energy.

The red blast flew from his eyes and dispersed the spirits.

Connor fell forward and caught himself on his hands. He stared down at the black sand of the underworld panting. The air of the underworld caused his lungs to burn.

He glanced up at the sky and thunder flashed through the red heavens, causing the black clouds to turn purple.

_Great, _the boy of steel thought, _the air here is toxic and there's no sunlight here which means am going to have to conserve my power. _He shook his head, _hopefully, my body will adjust to the air here and it won't kill me._

He rose to his feet and began walking toward the large cliff in the distance. _I must've done something really bad in a past life to land in Tartarus, _he thought.

Connor walked across the dark sands of the underworld with only the sounds of monster bones crunching under his feet for company. Sweat ran down his face and dripped off his nose and turned to steam when it hit the dark sand.

_So thirsty_, he thought. He fell to his knees before a river with glowing green water. _I know it's dangerous to drink water from the underworld, but I need to replenish my strength. _He dipped his hands into the glowing green water.

Instantly, his mother's cries echoed in his mind along with the rage of the people he killed. The young kryptonian yanked his hands from the water and scrambled backwards panting. He wiped his hands on his leather kilt. _Okay, _he thought, _I'm definitely not drinking that._

Sighing, the boy of steel rose to his feet, ignoring the pain in his back. He took a few steps back then sprinted towards the river. He leapt over the river and landed on the other side in a crouch position. He winced as his hands dug into the splintered monster bones that littered the ground.

He could feel the sticky wetness of his own blood staining his hands. _Great, _he thought, _even the bones of the underworld can hurt me_.

Shaking his head, the boy of steel rose to his feet and gazed at his hands. The wounds healed, but blood still stained his palms._ At least my healing factor still works_, he mused.

Squaring his shoulders, the young kryptonian continued towards the cliffs in the distance.

A screech caused him to look up._ What now_, he thought.

Giant skeletal birds dive down from the sky there empty eye sockets blazing with fire.

Connor removed his spear from his back._ I really hate this place_, he thought. He stabbed his spear forward. Lightning arced from his spear and struck one of the descending birds, causing it to explode into a thousand tiny bits of bone.

He staggered forward when something slammed into his back and scraped across his armor. Spinning around, he lashed out with his spear, smashing another skeletal birds skull. The headless body fell to the ground, and he disintegrated it with a blast of heat vision.

_Yep, I'm definitely not building a vacation home here,_ He thought. He flew backwards when a fireball slammed into his chest. He hit the ground hard and cried out when tiny chips of bone stabbed into his bare limbs.

He rose to his feet. The tiny chips of bone fell to the ground as his healing factor push them out of his body. He glared at the skeletal bird that looked suspiciously like a pterodactyl. _I can't believe I'm getting attacked by a dead prehistoric bird,_ he thought to himself.

He stretched forth his hand. A tornado appeared below the prehistoric creature and sucked it inside. Within moments the black sand of the underworld ground it to pieces.

With the last of his present threats neutralized, Connor fell to the ground and leaned back on his hands panting.

_I really didn't know what I was getting myself into when I told the Amazons I would rescue Hippolyta, _he mused, _This place is a lot more inhospitable than I thought, but I won't give up until I rescue my grandmother. I will not leave family and such a desolate and unforgiving place._

With his goal confirmed, the young kryptonian rose to his feet and made his way up the sloping ground, being careful not to slip on the loose sand. Reaching the top, he looked out over a large valley. He could see multicolored rivers running through the valley. The cliff he had been heading towards for the past few hours was on the other side of the valley.

_Great, _he thought, _I thought I was making progress; only to find out that I still have a ways to go before I'm out of Tartarus._

_**PKR**_

Hades sat on his throne drumming his armored clawed fingers on its stone arms. A wide smile spread across his face and he brushed his dark hair out of his ebony eyes. "Interesting," he said turning to Hippolyta, "it appears someone has come to save you."

Hippolyta's blue eyes widened. Who in the world would come into the underworld to rescue me, she wondered.

Hades laughed at the hope that sprang on Hippolyta's face revealing pointed teeth. "I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. Your champion still has to make it through the underworld, but I will allow you to live long enough to see him fail."

Hippolyta blew her long brown hair out of her heart-shaped face, "Whoever has ventured into the underworld will defeat you."

Hades ran his serpent like tongue along his teeth, "We'll see about that," He snapped his fingers, "let's see how you're hero deals with this."

_**PKR**_

Connor walked across the desolate valley with a pronounced limp after stepping in a river of liquid fire._ I didn't even know fire could become a liquid, _he mused, _this place is so messed up._

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. _What now? _The boy of steel wondered, _is a giant worm going to pop out of the ground and eat me?_

For almost identical men exploded from the ground and surrounded him.

They were eight foot tall with wiry muscle, angular features, and long black hair.

"So who are you guys?" The boy of steel asked while letting his hand drift towards his spear.

One of the men stepped forward. He had ebony eyes and wore Greek style obsidian armor. Two short swords made of the same dark metal hung from his belt. "I am the Titan of West, iron, and night," he gestured to a Titan in bronze armor, "this is the Titan of the east, copper, and earth."

The Titan of copper gestured to a Titan in silver armor, "This," he began in a gruffer voice than his brothers, "is the Titan of silver, south, and the moon."

The Titan of south pointed to a Titan in gold armor, "This is the Titan of North, gold, and the sun."

_I wonder if they made their armor to match their eyes,_ the boy of steel mused. He was brought out of his thoughts by the Titan of iron.

"Together, we are the Titans of the four directions, and we have been sent by Hades to kill you."

_Being eaten by a giant worm is looking awful good right about now, _the boy of steel thought as fresh pain shot through his leg.

He slowly removed his spear from its holster on his back, making sure not to take his eyes off his new opponents, "So, tell me. Why are Titans working for an Olympian god? I thought they were mortal enemies."

The Titan of iron scowled, "You'd be surprised what alliances can be forged after millennia in this pit."

"I probably would," Connor conceded spinning his spear.

In the blink of an eye, the Titan of iron drew his swords and rushed forward. The dark blades whistled through the air.

A loud clanging echoed through the valley as the Titan of iron's swords met the golden shaft of Connor spear. _I guess the time for talk is over, _the boy of steel mused.

The young kryptonian was brought out of his thoughts when the Titan of the North's golden clubs slammed into his ribs with a loud crack, sending the boy of steel flying across the valley.

Connor crashed into the ground the tiny bits of bone that littered it sandy surface scraping his arms and legs.

Connor lay on the ground. His legs and arms a bloody mess. Long strips of flesh had been stripped from the appendages, revealing the muscle and bone beneath. _Well this isn't good, the _young kryptonian thought through the haze of pain that fought to cloud his mind.

The sound of running footsteps caused him to roll over. Pain flared through his body and he released an agonizing scream. _One or more of my ribs is definitely broken, _he mused.

Stretching forth his hand the young kryptonian summoned his spear. He stabbed it into the ground and struggled to his feet. He could feel his torn muscles straining to hold his weight. Bones inside him shifted around, causing him to cough. Blood flew from his mouth and splattered on the ground. _Oh that's definitely not good._

Suddenly a shadow appeared above him. The Titan of the earth fell towards him with a bronze mace raised high above his head.

Connor raised his spear high above his head. Purple lightning shot down from the crimson sky and slammed into the Titan of the earth.

The Titan of the Earth cried out as electricity coursed through his body, suspending him in mid-air._ Please let this work, _Connor pleaded mentally.

The young kryptonian stretched forth his hand. The lightning streamed off the Titan of the Earth's body and into Connors.

The Titan of the earth fell to the ground steaming.

The boy of steel formed the lightning into a whip and spun on his heel, gritting his teeth against the pain that flared in his ribs.

He lashed out at the Titan of the North, who had tried to sneak up on him from behind, maneuvering the electric whip so that it wrapped around his neck. He then yanked the surprised Titan forward, using the Titans momentum to drive his spear through his head.

The Titan exploded in a blast of sunlight, which was absorbed into the young kryptonian's body. He gasped as he felt his wounds heal and his powers were restored.

Connor spun his spear. _Well that's a surprise. I didn't expect defeating the Titan of the sun to heal me. Unfortunately, the Titan didn't have enough energy to restore all my powers, so I'll have to use them sparingly. H_e mused. Shaking his head, the young kryptonian made his way over to the Titan of the Earth.

The Titan gazed up at Connor with fear in his eyes. His voice quivered slightly as he asked, "What did you do to me, why can't I move?"

Connor smiled, "When I removed my electricity from your body, I also removed the electrical impulses that send signals to your brain temporarily paralyzing you."

The boy of steel raised his spear and brought it down to pierce the Titan of the Earth's head, causing the Titan to crumble into dust.

Connor exhaled and turned only for a searing pain to explode in his back. He looked down to see an obsidian sword protruding from his chest, dripping with crimson liquid.

"What?" He coughed.

The Titan of the West and iron leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "I'm impressed that you managed to kill two of my brothers, but I'm not so easily fooled." He tore his sword from the young kryptonian's body, taking half of his armor and a good chunk of his ribs with it.

Connor cried out in agony. He could feel his body cooling quickly from the loss of blood. _Note to self, if I make it through this I need to learn to watch my back,_ he shook his head, _oh who am I kidding. I'm not going to make it through this._ He fell to his knees with his hand clamped over the massive hole in his side.

The Titan of the night, iron, and West walked around to stand before the young kryptonian, being careful not to step in his blood.

"You fought well boy, but in the end a mortal could never defeat a Titan."

A cold sweat ran down Connor's pale trembling body. "This isn't over," he told the Titan in a quavering voice.

The Titan leaned forward and laughed in his face, "What are you going to do? Even if you could heal the poison I put on my blades would kill you."

_Well there goes that hope, but the poison explains why I'm not healing. My healing factor must be taking care of the poison and I don't have enough solar energy left in my reserves to heal the wound. T_he boy of steel thought.

He shook his head, "It doesn't matter the gods will send someone else to rescue Hippolyta." The boy of steel shuddered. _I just hope it's not Hercules, _he mused.

The Titan of iron laughed again, "Whoever the gods send won't make it past me."

Connor fell forward, he slammed his free hand into the black sands of Tartarus and glared up at the Titan, "You won't be here."

_I'm getting tired of this boy's bravado__**, **_the Titan thought to himself. He reached down and grabbed the pale kryptonian by the throat. He brought him up to his face, "What is a half dead mortal like you going to do?" He snarled.

"This," Connor shouted defiantly. He released a blast of red energy from his eyes. The red energy slammed into the Titan's head, causing it to explode in a shower of blood, brain matter, and bits of skull.

The Titan's headless body fell backwards. Connor pried the Titans hand from his throat with shaky hands. He lay on the ground staring up at the underworld's crimson sky. _I'm sorry mom and dad, I'm sorry I erased your memories, _he thought, _I'm sorry Queen Hippolyta, I'm sorry I couldn't save you._ With those last thoughts, the young kryptonian's eyes drifted closed.

The Titan of the moon, South, and Silver looked down at the pale kryptonian, "You fought well boy, but in the end it just wasn't well enough." He picked up Connor spear from the ground and raised it above his head. He looked at the pale kryptonian one last time then drove it downwards.

Suddenly the silver Titans head exploded. The body fell across Connor. Jets of blood spurted from the neck covering the unconscious kryptonian. The Titan of the South turned into steam and drifted away, leaving behind his silver armor.

A large shadow loomed over the unconscious kryptonian. The owner of the shadow glanced at the armor left by the Titans. With a wave of their hand they summoned the armor and bound it together with a leather strap. They through the armor over their shoulder then bent down and wrapped a red arm around Connor.

They threw the unconscious kryptonian over there other shoulder then turned and walked away.


	10. Chapter 10

_**The New Beginning of Project KR**_

_**Chapter 10**_

Connor awoke to the sounds of a crackling fire and the smell of burning wood. He opened his eyes, shadows danced across a raftered ceiling made of pale white bones._ Okay, _Connor thought, _either I've been eaten, or someone really needs to hire an interior decorator._

The young kryptonian looked down. He was covered in a blanket made of light brown fur. He shifted around. A crunch underneath him caused him to pause. He let his hands drift down to the mattress and gently pressed on it. He could feel twigs and leaves beneath the thin material. _Wherever I am, _Connor thought, _the furniture and materials are definitely homemade._

"I see you're awake."

Connor jolted up, and his head spun in the direction of the voice.

A massive man eight foot tall with serpent like eyes and hair that look like seaweed set in a small chair before a stone fireplace. The fire light reflected off his humongous crimson skinned arms. He smiled at Connor revealing overly long fangs and two rows of needle pointed teeth.

A Minotaur pelt set atop his head and draped across his massive shoulders. A necklace of animal fangs rested against his muscular chest.

The Crimson man rose to his feet, causing Connor to tense. He wiped his hands on his pants, which seemed to be made of slick green animal skin and walked forward.

Connor cast his eyes around for his spear. He spotted it leaning against the far end of the cabin wall too far away for him to reach. _Great, _he thought, _I'm about to be attacked by a giant, and I have no weapon to defend myself._

The boy of steel raised his hands and electricity danced in between his fingers. Connor knew he wouldn't be able to do anything with it, but it did cause the red giant to pause.

The massive man raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to check your wound," he gestured to Connor's chest.

The boy of steel looked down to see thick bandages wrapped around his chest, he glanced back at the red skinned man. _If he wanted to hurt me, he could have done it while I was sleeping, _Connor reasoned. He slowly lowered his hands and nodded.

The red giant slowly walked forward. He knelt down beside Conner's bed and slowly began to undo the bandages from his chest.

When the last of the bandages fell away, Connor looked down at his side. Where there had once been a large hole. There was now a thin scar barely visible in the dim light provided by the fireplace. He watched the massive giant tenderly touched the skin around the scar and was surprised to find that there was no pain.

The red giant looked up at Connor with a smile on his face.

Connor shuddered as he stared into those serpent yellow eyes. _This guy may have saved me,_ he thought, _but when he looks at me with those eyes. It makes me think he's going to eat me._

"Your wounds are healed," the red man said oblivious to Connor's thoughts.

Connor nodded, "Who are you?"

The red giant rose to his feet, turned, and walked back over to his chair. Once he was seated he spoke, "My name is Perseus."

Connor looked the red giant up-and-down, "Like the legendary Greek hero?"

Perseus's lips turned up in a small smile, "I am the legendary Greek hero."

Connor raised an eyebrow, "Funny, you don't look human."

Perseus flinched and looked away, "When Hades became imprisoned in the underworld. He destroyed the eternal resting place for heroes. Prolonged exposure to the underworld turned the greatest heroes of legend into mindless beast." He looked away, "I was one of the lucky ones. I managed to retain my mind after being transformed into this monster," he looked down at his giant red hands in disgust.

Connor shuddered._ I hope that doesn't happen to me,_ he thought.

As if reading his thoughts Perseus said, "Don't worry. The underworld won't turn you into a monster since you're still alive, but prolonged exposure to it may kill you, and then your turn into a monster."

_Note to self,_ Connor thought, _get out of here as soon as possible._

Shaking his head, Connor threw off his blanket and hopped off the bed, "Well I appreciate you saving me Perseus," he said looking around for some clothes, "but I have to go save Queen Hippolyta."

Perseus frowned, "How can you save Queen Hippolyta when you're still burdened down by your own guilt?"

Connor froze. He glanced back at Perseus, who was sitting calmly in his chair staring at him with those piercing yellow eyes. He shuddered, "How did you know?"

Perseus tapped his large red nose, "In this form I can smell your guilt. It rolls off you. If you don't do something about it; when you leave here it will attract every monster and spirit in the underworld."

Connor sat down on the bed. _That's the last thing I need in my weakened condition,_ he thought, burying his face in his hands.

After a few minutes, he looked up at Perseus with defeated eyes, "What can I do?"

Perseus rose from his chair, walked over to the fireplace, and took a wooden bowl off the mantle. He removed the lid from a large cauldron in the fireplace and dipped the bowl in the contents. He then walked over to Connor and offered him the bowl. "The first thing you can do is eat. You have to be hungry."

Connor stomach grumbled and he realized it'd been at least a day since he had eaten. He took the bowl and began sipping the contents. He had to stop himself from moaning as the delicious flavor bathed his tongue.

Perseus walked back over to his chair and sat down. He gave Marcus a few minutes to enjoy his meal then asked, "So, what has you so burdened with guilt?"

Connor froze with the bowl halfway to his mouth. He sighed and set the bowl down on the bed no longer hungry. _Can I really trust this man? _He asked himself. He shook his head. _If you wanted to kill me he wouldn't have bothered healing me, _the boy of steel decided.

Over the next hour, Connor told Perseus about the men he killed and the guilt he had been carrying ever since their deaths. _Way to bear your heart out to a total stranger you pansy, _he thought to himself when he finished.

"It sounds like to me you didn't have much of a choice," Perseus began, "those men attacked you and killed a lot of innocent people, by those actions they deserved to die."

Connor shook his head, "I don't have the right to play judge, jury, and executioner, besides John Corbett didn't kill anyone."

Perseus scowled, "He was part of the same organization as those men that fired those missiles, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"No buts kid, that man was just as guilty as the pilots that fired those missiles."

He shook his head, "You're still young so you have not seen the true horrors of battle yet, but as you grow older you will realize that the world isn't black and white. Some people just can't be reasoned with."

"So what?" Connor asked, scowling, "I'll eventually get to the point where I feel nothing or even enjoy killing."

Perseus's face darkened, "No if you ever get to that point kill yourself, for you will have become nothing but a monster."

Connor looked down. "So what do I do, how do I not feel the guilt for the people I killed?" He asked quietly.

Perseus rose to his feet, walked forward, and placed his hand on Connor shoulder.

Connor looked into Perseus is yellow eyes and for the first time he didn't feel fear. He saw calm understanding within those yellow orbs. The old warrior knew what kind of struggle he was going through. He may have even been there himself.

"What you have to realize is the people who choose to become heroes. Are the people who want to defend others. They have to make the hard choices, so the people that can't protect themselves don't have to. We may kill the occasional bad guy, but it is to keep the rest of the world safe. We will carry the guilt of that action forever. However we do so, so the people that we love and other innocents can sleep safe at night."

Perseus tightened his grip on Connor shoulder, "The question you have to ask yourself is. Do you want to follow the hero's path?"

Connor thought about it. _Do I really want to follow the hero's path? _He asked himself. His gaze hardened. _I can't just do nothing when innocent people are getting hurt. Especially when I have the power to help,_

Perseus smiled as he saw the determination appear in Connor's eyes, "I think you're ready to rescue Queen Hippolyta."

Connor flashed Perseus a thin smile, "I think I am," he looked down at his half naked frame, "but I think I need some armor."

Perseus patted him on the shoulder, leave that to me, he turned and walked over to a small door at the other end of the cabin. He opened it and went through.

Connor picked up his bowl of food. He put the bowl to his lips and sipped the contents. It had gone cold, but was still delicious.

After finishing his meal, Connor rose to his feet, took a few quick steps to the fireplace, and set the bowl down on the mantle. He then spun on his heel to get a better look at the cabin. He winced slightly as he felt a pulling sensation at his newly healed wound.

_What I wouldn't give for some sunlight,_ he thought to himself. Shaking his head the young kryptonian gazed around the cabin. Bundles of bone in a netted material hung from the rafters. A roughly carved table with two equally rough looking chairs sat in the center of the room.

A bed sat under the only window, covered in a quilt made from a variety of different animal skins. The most notable was the skin of a lion that he felt when he woke up.

Walking over to the window, Connor looked out at the underworld. He smiled when he saw his destination was closer than it was when he fell unconscious. The cliff that led out of the underworld was just a few hundred yards away now. All he would have to do was climb up.

His lips turned down slightly and he flexed his hand. _I just hope I have enough strength to deal with Hades after climbing out of this pit of torture, _he thought.

The sound of a door opening, caused Connor to turn.

Perseus reentered the room the horns on his Minotaur pelt scraping the frame of the door as he did.

Connor moved back over to the bed and sat down.

Perseus stopped before him and offered the young kryptonian a large brown package.

"What's this?"

"Something to help you on your journey."

Connor took the package and weighed it in his hands. It had a little bit of weight to it and he could feel something hard beneath the light brown animal skin it was wrapped in.

Cautiously, he pulled the dark green twine that held the package shut. The animal skin fell away to reveal a suit of armor.

Connor held up the gold chest plate. An inverted triangle set in the center of the chest plate, a silver S in its center. The silver etching glinted in the fire light.

Sitting the chest plate down, the young kryptonian removed a pair of Golden Shin guards, a pair of pointed golden boots, a matching pair of forearm guards and a pair of gloves. Copper chain mail sat nestled at the bottom of the package.

Connor looked up, "How did you make this?"

"I didn't. I collected the armor left behind by the Titans and took it to some Cyclops friends of mine. They made the armor. It's based off the armor from medieval England"

Connor set the Copper chain mail on the bed with the rest of the armor, "Why would you do this for me?"

Perseus's fist clenched and his eyes drifted to the floor, "I can feel myself changing, I can feel myself becoming more like the monster I am on the outside," he looked up at Connor with a hint of desperation in his eyes, "I want Hades to be defeated before I become a monster. I want to return to the land of heroes and be with my family."

Connor's lips thinned and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "So, you're using me?"

Perseus looked away, "I prefer to think of it as helping with your quest."

Connor nodded, "I can deal with that." _After all,_ he thought, _I would be dead if it weren't for him._

The boy of steel rose to his feet and began slipping on the armor. When he was finished Perseus nodded, "That should protect you a whole lot better than what you had on before."

Connor bowed his head to the legendary warrior, "Thank you for your assistance."

"No problem kid," Perseus responded. He held out a golden helm adorned with a silver inverted triangle with a silver S in the center.

When Connor slipped on the helm, he felt the armor go tight against his skin. He threw a few experimental punches. The armor allowed for easy movement and was lighter than he thought it would be.

He walked over and retrieved his spear. He placed it against his back and a silver chain appeared around the shaft and wrapped around his chest.

He then walked back over to Perseus and offered the crimson skinned legend his hand, "Thank you for saving me."

Perseus smiled and Connor shuddered as his needle pointed teeth glinted in the dim light. He grasped Connor's hand firmly and shook it, "No problem, that's what family does," he looked down, "I'm sorry I tried to use you."

Connor patted Perseus on his large shoulder, "It's all right. You help me work through my guilt over the people I killed, so I would call us even."

With a final squeeze of Perseus's shoulder, Connor turned and walked towards the door. He opened it and stepped out onto the black sands of Tartarus. He felt his lungs burn as they took in the air and coughed hard. _Well,_ he thought, _it looks like I'm going to have to get used to the air again. _Shaking his head, he stepped off Perseus's porch and onto the black sand of Tartarus.

"Wait!"

Connor turned to see Perseus standing at the door with his hand raised to the sky. A skeletal pterodactyl dove down from the sky and stopped before him. The flap of its wings making it bob up and down before him.

The legendary warrior turned to Connor, "Hades, no doubt knows you're here since he sent the Titans to attack you, but he won't be watching the sky."

Connor gazed at the ancient predator suspiciously, "Is it safe?"

Perseus thrust out his large chest and planted his hands on his hips with a proud smile on his face, "Of course it safe, as one of Zeus's children I can control the creatures Of the sky."

"But you're dead, and it's dead. So, shouldn't all things dead fall under Hades control?"

"Hades has very limited control over what goes on in Tartarus. That's why I set up shop here. After some experimentation I learned that our power over the creatures of the air changed to the deceased creatures of the air when I died."

_I wonder if I can control birds? _Connor mused. Shaking his head he walked forward.

The ancient predator turned its elongated skeletal head, causing the young kryptonian to tense as he approached. The flames in its eye sockets shone brighter as Connor drew closer. It's beak blurred into action, snapping up and down impossibly fast.

Connor paused less than three feet from the creature and raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure you can control this thing?"

Perseus's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest, "Of course I can control it, now get on you don't have all day."

Taking a deep breath, Connor strode forward and hopped on the creatures back before he could lose his nerve.

The ancient predator shifted slightly, getting used to Connor's weight, but it didn't buck him off.

Connor released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Perseus slapped Connor on the shoulder, "Good luck kid."

Connor nodded. He used his legs to steer the pterodactyl in the direction of the cliff. With a click of his heals, young kryptonian drove the legendary beast into the sky.


	11. Chapter 11

_**The New Beginning of Project Kr**_

_**Chapter 11**_

Connor leaned back slightly as the prehistoric bird flu up the cliff face. He swayed slightly and wrapped one arm around the beast neck to keep from falling off.

It cleared the cliff with a gust of air and shot into the crimson sky of the underworld. The young kryptonian guided the prehistoric bird behind the ebony clouds and peered at the city below.

Humongous femur bones made up the largest buildings. While thousands upon millions of human skulls made up the smaller dwellings. Emerald fire burned in the arched windows, casting a pale green light over the brimstone streets.

Demons, small stick thin humanoid creatures with green skin and blazing red eyes perched atop the tallest buildings. Their long claws dug deep furrows into the bone structures. Their slitted noses flared every few minutes searching for new prey. A purple tongue shot out of an obese demon's mouth and ran across its crooked yellow teeth.

The obese fiend leapt down from his perch and slammed into the earth. His clawed toes splayed out revealing webbed feet.

The tubby demon shot forward and grabbed an unfortunate soul as it dragged a cart of goods up the street. The soul barely had time to scream before it was shoved down the creature's gullet.

Connor grimaced. _I know these people belong here, but no one deserves that, _he thought. Shaking his head, Connor guided the pterodactyl towards a large Castle in the distance, its dark stone standing out starkly against the crimson sky.

He was less than a foot away from the Castle when his ride shuddered. _Shit,_ he thought with wide eyes. He leapt free of the prehistoric beast just as it fell to pieces.

His armored fingers scraped along the castles smooth stone walls for a good three feet before they finally found purchase on a stone that was hanging out just a bit too far.

_Thank goodness for Amazon inherited strength,_ the boy of steel thought, as he hung a hundred feet from the ground. He tried to find purchase with his feet, but they just slid from the wall. _So what now? _Connor asked himself, I obviously can't climb the wall.

Gazing around, Connor saw a window to the left and five feet above him. If he tried to reach it and got it wrong he would die, but he couldn't just hang around here. _Please let this work, _he prayed to any god that was listening.

He began swinging back and forth. When he felt his hands about to slip free he pushed off. He reached for the window with his left hand, but just as he was about to reach it he began to fall.

Panicking, Connor thrust his right hand towards the ground and released a blast of air. He shot upwards and managed to grasp the window with his left hand. _Thank the gods,_ he thought to himself as he slipped inside.

The young kryptonian fell through the window and onto a table. The table gave way with a loud crash, and Connor rolled to a stop a few feet away from the wreckage.

_Great, just great, way to go Connor, _he thought to himself,_ you're trying to sneak into Hades home and you make enough racket to wake the dead._

Suddenly soft candlelight filled the room and Connor tensed. Vines appeared around his body and hoisted him into the air. The plants rotated him giving him a good view of the room.

He was in a modest sized room. Candles mounted on the walls painted the room in a soft yellow glow. The remains of a desk sat below the window and a Bureau set-off to the side in one corner.

As he continued spinning, Connor saw a four poster bed in the center of the room. Its soft silk curtains painted a pale red thanks to the light of the underworld. A nightstand set off to one side, an oil lamps set atop it cold and unused.

The young kryptonian had just begun his third circuit around the room when a woman suddenly appeared before him. Connor's mouth dropped open.

Her long brown hair cascaded down her back and was highlighted by the dim glow of the candles. The red light coming from the underworld sky highlighted the magnificent curves of her body. To his embarrassment Connor's eyes locked on her large breast and a thin veil of hair that marked her sex.

_Well brown is definitely her natural color,_ Connor thought to himself. He shook his head and tore his gaze away from her body to stare at her face. She stared at him her luscious red lips pressed in a thin line and her grass green eyes bore into his.

She sashayed forward and Connor felt his eyes drift to the junction between her legs. She stopped before him and raised his head with a finger.

He shivered under her touch, and her scent filled his nose. She smelled like rich earth and brimstone.

"Who are you?" she asked gazing into his eyes.

Connor licked his dry lips and fought to keep his voice from shaking. "I am Connor. I have come to rescue Hippolyta."

The beauty before him raised her hand and a thin gown appeared to cover her body. Connor released a small groan of disappointment despite himself then blushed.

The woman smiled then a serious expression crossed her features.

A shiver ran down Connor's spine and a bead of sweat began to travel down his face. He subtly began to try and break his bonds, but found he couldn't. The vines holding him were just too strong.

_Come on think Connor,_ he told himself, _if you can't break them with your strength .What else can you do? If only I had fathers ice breath. Wait a minute, that's it. I can control the wind, so I should be able to control the temperature of wind too._

The young kryptonian closed his eyes and thought of all the cold places he had been to. He was just about to put his plan into action when the woman before him spoke.

"So, you're here to rescue Hippolyta, does that mean you are going to kill my husband?"

Connor's head snapped towards the woman his eyes wide, "You're…"

The woman nodded, "That's right. I am Persephone, wife of Hades."

_I can't believe it,_ Connor thought, _out of all the rooms in the castle I just had to fly into the bedroom of Hades._

The young kryptonian swallowed hard and kept his eyes locked on Persephone's. _Now that I know who she is there's no way I'm checking out another man's wife, _he thought, _well, not where anyone can see me that is._

"You didn't answer my question," Persephone said bringing Connor out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, what question was that?" The boy of steel asked shaking his head.

Persephone sighed and tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, "Are you going to kill my husband?" She asked slowly a hint of exasperation in her voice.

Connor's lips turned down and he bowed his head, so that his eyes were half hidden in shadow, "Not if I can help it. Lord Hades is family, I don't kill family," he said firmly raising his head to meet Persephone's eyes.

Persephone nodded, "Good." She stepped forward and grabbed his head and smashed her lips against his in a searing kiss.

Connor froze as Persephone soft lips crashed into his. He felt her tongue snake into his mouth and her hands began to wonder his body. He moaned despite the wrongness of this. His breath caught in his chest as he felt her grip his manhood. That one action brought him back to his senses. _What am I doing?_ He thought, _this is Hades wife._

The young kryptonian opened and closed his hands. Arctic wind billowed from his hands and covered the room in a thin layer of ice. With a sharp jerking motion, Connor shattered his bonds and pushed Persephone away.

He fell to the ground panting and excited. He glanced at his hands. The tips of his fingers were blue and coded in a thin layer of ice. He shook his head, _I'm going to have to work on that,_ he thought flexing his fingers to get the feeling back into them.

He shook his head. He could still taste Persephone's lips on his. When he felt he could talk without his voice shaking he looked up at her, "What are you doing?"

Persephone slowly ran her thumb across her lips. The action made Connor pulse in his lower region. _Come on cold work faster,_ he thought.

"I was testing you."

Connor looked at her incredulously, "testing me?"

Persephone nodded, "Yes, if you would have accepted my advances I would've thought you a liar and killed you, but since you push me away I will trust you not to kill my husband," she glared at him, her eyes turned black and dark shadows covered her features, "but be warned if you lie to me I will enjoy torturing your soul for the next few centuries."

Connor nodded. It was the only thing he could do. Her sudden change in personality had surprised him too much for him to do anything else.

"Good," Persephone said smiling. The shadows vanished and she was a vision of beauty once more.

Connor's mouth works soundlessly for a few minutes before he was finally able to ask, "Why are you helping me?"

Persephone frowned and a hint of sadness appeared in her eyes, "My husband is not evil," she began…

"He kidnapped Hippolyta and killed many Amazons."

Persephone shook her head, "That was not my husband's intention. He was just trying to make the gap in the gate big enough for us to squeeze through…"

"I got through okay."

Persephone nodded, "Yes, but you are not a god. If my husband or I would try to go through the gate in its current condition; the gate would use our own power to create flames so hot that we would have to turn back or die."

Connor's eyes widened, "So, he kidnapped Hippolyta to try and force Zeus's hand?"

Persephone nodded.

"Then why send the Titans to kill me?"

"My husband has been begging Zeus for our freedom for centuries, but father has not listened. My love now believes that force is the only way to get us free. It's why he turned the greatest heroes of legend into monsters, so he could have more soldiers to fight for him should father try to take Hippolyta back by force."

"Why was Lord Hades imprisoned in the underworld?"

Persephone scowled, "Because of my father's paranoia. Zeus believes that Hades was trying to overthrow him, so he imprisoned him in the underworld before he could." She shook her head and a few tears trailed down her cheeks, "unfortunately it was winter when my father imprisoned us here, so I was trapped to. I haven't seen my mother in centuries."

"You still haven't told me why you're helping me."

"My husband has made many mistakes, but I don't believe we should be in prison for them forever." Persephone's gaze hardened, "You seem like an honorable man. I am hoping that when you get out of here, you may petition Zeus to set us free."

Connor nodded, "Do you swear on the River Styx that everything you have told me is true?"

Persephone glared at him, "You would accuse a goddess of lying?"

Connor raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "You're the Queen of the underworld."

Persephone sighed nodded, "I swear on the River Styx that everything I told you is true."

"Will you return the Amazons you killed to life and returned the heroes of legend to their resting place?"

"Yes."

_What a mess I've got myself into_, Connor thought; _I thought I was coming here to rescue Queen Hippolyta from an evil god. Only to find out that he is just trying to get freedom for himself and his wife. _He shook his head, "So, what happens now?"

Persephone smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Now, you go meet my husband." In the blink of an eye, the Queen of the underworld appeared behind him and tapped him lightly on the back of the head.

Connor's helmet rattled slightly then his world went dark and he slumped to the floor with a soft thump.

_**PKR**_

Connor groaned when his body slammed into the floor. _I really need to watch out for attractive women,_ he thought to himself. He rose to his feet and let his eyes roam the room.

He was in a large room. Torches on the walls cast the room in a pale orange glow. Skeletons in Greek armor stood a little ahead of the torches, their spears pointed at him.

Black fire billowed up from a pit in the floor. The heat of the flames singed his skin even at three feet away.

Connor took a few steps back from the flames. _I definitely need to keep my eye on that,_ he thought.

Suddenly the flames died down. Two obsidian thrones sat on the other side of the pit. On one sat Persephone. The shadows cast by the torches made her look like a beautiful goddess of darkness. She stared at Connor impassively, but he could see a glimmer of something in her eye.

It took him a moment to realize what it was, his eyes widened. _She's reminding me of our deal,_ he thought, he scowled, _but why did she have to knock me out._

The Lord of the dead rose to his feet, causing Connor's eyes to shift to him.

Hades was eight foot tall, broad shouldered, and well-muscled. His black in silver armor moved with the mind of its own. Every once in a while a face would appear in it screening soundlessly before disappearing.

Hades stepped down from his throne never taking his ebony eyes off Connor he walked forward and stopped before the pit, his shoulder length black hair and goatee swayed in the heat coming off of it.

Hades crossed his arms over his chest and stroked his goatee, "So, you're the hero the gods sent to rescue Hippolyta," he cocked his head to one side, "funny I thought you would be bigger."

Connor straightened and smirked, "Funny," he said, "I thought you would be skinnier," he tapped his chin in thought, "and older."

Hades threw back his head and laughed, revealing pointed teeth and overly long canines.

Connor had to fight the urge to flee when he heard that sound. _I am not scared, I am not scared, _he repeated to himself.

"Your brave boy, I'll give you that. Now why don't you tell me why you have infiltrated my domain?"

The boy of steel took a deep breath and hardened his features. "I have come to rescue Queen Hippolyta."

Hades laughed again and Connor had to squash down the urge to reach for his spear.

Hades abruptly stopped laughing and glared at Connor, causing the boy of steel to tense, "Do you know why I captured Hippolyta?"

"I assumed it was for some kind of leverage."

Hades nodded, "Smart boy, I captured Queen Hippolyta to try and force my brother to let us free, but my brother wouldn't do it. What does that tell you about my brother?"

"That he really doesn't care about Hippolyta," Connor answered rage blossoming within him.

"Right again, Now tell me, do you know what would happen if I would release Hippolyta to you after my brother refused to answer my request?"

"Zeus would not take your threat seriously anymore."

Hades nodded. "So tell me, why should I release Hippolyta to you? When I can kill her, resurrect her as one of my undead minions, and use her to have the Amazons attack Olympus."

A bead of sweat ran down Connor's face and he licked his dry lips. "Because they would eventually fail?"

Hades raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Connor nodded. _Don't lose your nerve now, _he told himself.

"Yes, you may have a large army of the dead, but Zeus has all the gods on Mount Olympus. Not only that, but the Amazons would eventually fight against you for what you did to their Queen."

Hades nodded, "You may be right, but you still haven't told me why I should release Hippolyta."

Connor exhaled and took a deep breath, "Because I can offer you something more valuable."

"What's that?"

"The grandson of Zeus."

Hades eyes widened slightly, but he shook his head, "Zeus has a lot of grandchildren, I doubt he would free me for the sake of one's life."

"Ah," Connor said, "but this one is the son of his favorite daughter."

Hades eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, "Wonder Woman had a child?"

"It's more complicated than that," Connor said, "but essentially yes."

A gasp echoed through the throne room.

Hades flicked his hand at a blank section of wall. Hippolyta shimmered into existence her arms were chained above her head and there was dirt smudged all over her heart-shaped face, but her blue eyes were steady and filled with surprise.

Hades turned to Hippolyta with a small smile on his face, "How does it feel to be a grandmother Hippolyta?"

Hippolyta said nothing. She just continued to stare at Connor in surprise.

Hades shook his head and turned back to Connor, "So, where is the son of Wonder Woman?"

In the blink of an eye, Connor whipped his spear off his back and shot a bolt of lightning at the Lord of the underworld, "Right here," he shouted.

The lightning slammed into Hades chest and sent him flying backwards into his throne.

Connor took a few steps back then took a running start at the pit of fire. He leapt over the pit of fire and landed on the other side in a crouch position. _Thank you Lord Hades for dimming the flames,_ he thought to himself.

He rose to his feet and sprinted over to Hippolyta. With a quick slash of his spear he shattered her bindings, "Queen Hippolyta, we need to go."

Hippolyta just continued to stare at him with wide eyes.

_Please don't kill me for this later_, Connor thought. He threw Hippolyta over his shoulder and slammed his spear on to the ground. A vortex of wind gathered around him and the Amazon Queen. They lifted into the air and shot upwards. They exploded through the roof of Hades home and back out into the underworld.

A thunderous cry rent the air as all the demons in Hades's city took to the sky after them.

Seeing this, Connor spun his spear and shot bolts of lightning at the oncoming demons. They fell from the sky in a shower of ash and charred corpses.

Sweat dripped from the boy of steel's face from the strain of keeping the vortex together and firing the lightning. _Without the sun to recharge me after I use my powers I'm burning through my reserves way too fast. I need to get back to the gate and get us out of here while I still have some power left,_ he thought.

The boy of steel winced as a fireball slammed into his back. He glanced behind him to see skeletal pterodactyl's flying towards him with fire crackling inside their pointed maws.

Taking a deep breath and thinking of cold, the boy of steel blew a fierce wind at the prehistoric birds. Ice formed on their wings and they plummeted from the sky.

With his chest heaving in his lungs burning from the toxic air of the underworld, Connor turned around. He could just make out the tear in reality that represented the gates of the underworld. As they drew closer, he could see the gray cracked columns inside Hades Temple through the gate.

He landed on a hilltop before the tear panting. After taking a moment to get his breath, Connor began stripping out of his armor.

"What are you doing?" Hippolyta asked.

Connor glanced behind him. Hippolyta was sweaty and her hair was a little windswept but otherwise she looked fine. _That's my grandmother,_ he thought, _tough as nails._ He shook his head, "Your body won't survive the heat of the gate, so I'm giving you my armor."

Hippolyta frowned and smoothed her toga, "What about you?"

Connor finished stripping off most of his armor, leaving him in only his copper chainmail. He turned to face Hippolyta with hard eyes and handed her his armor, "Lord Hades is on his way. I will hold him off while you get through the gate."

Hippolyta looked away, "Are you really my grandson?"

Connor sighed, "We really don't have time for this."

Hippolyta planted her hands on her hips and glared at him, "Answer the question."

Connor exhaled and ran a hand through his hair, "technically speaking, yes."

Hippolyta raised an eyebrow, "What does that mean?"

Connor threw his hands up in the air, "I will explain later. Now will you please put on that armor?"

Hippolyta opened her mouth then closed it and began putting on the armor. When she was finished the armor tightened around her toga.

Connor nodded. He grabbed her by the arm and began steering her towards the portal, "Go on I'll be right behind you."

Hippolyta opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off, "Look, I swore on the River Styx to rescue you. I am not going to break that promise. Now please go through the gate."

Hippolyta nodded and jumped through the portal.

Connor waited a few minutes then took a step back and prepared to follow her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Connor tightened his grip on his spear and turned around.

Hades and Persephone stood a few feet behind him the latter with his arms crossed over his chest.

Connor glanced at both of them warily, "Look, I came here to rescue Hippolyta. Now I just want to go home."

Hades shook his head, "I don't think so. You broke into my home. I can't let that go unpunished."

_This is bad,_ Connor thought, _I'm exhausted. Hades would be a tough fight if I was at full strength, but in my current condition it would be almost impossible._ Shaking his head, the boy of steel said, "I see, so that's how it is."

"I'm afraid so."

A curved double headed axe appeared in the Lord of the underworld's hands and he charged forward.

Connor raised his spear and went to meet him.

They came together in a shower of sparks, each trying to push the other back.

Connor's arms began to shake and his feet began to slip as he lost ground. _This isn't good,_ he thought, _if I don't do something soon I'll lose._

The boy of steel stopped fighting Hades, causing the Lord of the underworld to fall forward. He smashed his knee into Hades's face, sending him stumbling backwards. He charged forward pressing his advantage and swept the blunt end of his staff at Hades legs, sweeping his feet out from under him.

Hades fell to the ground and stared up at the boy of steel.

Connor raised his spear above his head then hesitated as he remembered his promise to Persephone. Seeing his hesitation, Hades sent a fireball into the boy of steel's chest, sending him flying backwards.

He hit the ground hard and rolled to a stop a foot away from the portal with a glossy burn on his chest.

In the blink of an eye, Hades appeared above him his double bladed axe raised above his head, "It ends here boy." He brought his acts down.

Connor's pupils dilated and the world seemed to slow down. He moved his head to the side, causing Hades axe to slam into the earth. He then wrapped his legs around one of Hades and pulled, causing the Lord of the underworld to fall backwards.

Connor rose to his feet and stretched forth his hand. His discarded spear flew into his hand with a loud smack. He began spinning the spear above his head; electricity began to dance across the spear.

Hades stared up at him without emotion, "Are you going to kill me boy?"

Connor glanced at Persephone. The Queen of the underworld had her hand raised preparing to strike him dead if he answered wrong. He shook his head, "No." He spun on his heel and through his electrified spear into the gate of the underworld.

Hades eyes widened, "What are you doing?"

Connor glanced back at him, "Correcting an injustice."

_**PKR**_

Hippolyta stepped out of the Gates of the underworld and was met by Phoebe, "Your Majesty, are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Hippolyta answered glancing back at the gate of the underworld.

Phoebe opened her mouth to ask more questions, but was cut off when something struck the inside of the gate, causing them to explode open.

Hades, Persephone, and Connor stepped out of the underworld.

Phoebe stepped in front of Hippolyta and glared at Connor, "What are you doing?"

"Ending an unjust imprisonment," Connor turned, shut the doors of the underworld He then bent his spear around its handles. He turned back to Hippolyta, "There that should keep any more monsters from getting through." The boy of steel then collapsed to the ground exhausted.

Hippolyta stepped past Phoebe ignoring her protests, "Why did you free Hades and Persephone?"

Connor raised his head and looked at Hippolyta with heavy lidded eyes, "They were imprisoned because of Zeus's paranoia not because of any crime."

"But his monsters killed many good Amazons," Phoebe exclaimed.

"He also turned the greatest heroes of legend into monsters," Hippolyta put in.

Persephone elbowed Hades. He sighed and raised his hand, "There, I have restored the dead Amazons to life and returned the heroes of legend to Paradise."

Hippolyta turned to Phoebe, "Go check."

Phoebe nodded and sprinted from the temple.

Hippolyta turned to look at Connor. There was a large burn mark on his chest that had melted his copper chainmail. The wound was leaking blood down his front. She turned to glare suspiciously at Hades, "What happened to him?"

Hades looked away, "We had a disagreement."

Hippolyta side and knelt down beside Connor. She threw one of his arms over her shoulder and helped him rise to his feet, "You better not die. You still have to explain how you came to be."

"Looking forward to it," Connor slurred.

Phoebe ran back into the room panting with a wide smile on her face, "Hades told the truth my lady, all the sisters that died in the battle have been brought back to life."

Hippolyta nodded, "Good, let's get this young hero," she tilted her head towards Connor, "to the infirmary."

"But my lady he's a man," Phoebe protested.

Hippolyta glared at her, causing Phoebe to flinch back, "This man saved my life and happens to be my grandson."

Phoebe's eyes widened and she bowed her head, "My apologies your Majesty, I didn't know." She walked over and threw Connor's free arm over her shoulder. Together she and Hippolyta half dragged half carried Connor out of the temple with Hades and Persephone following close behind them.

They had just exited the temple when lightning flashed across the sky and Zeus appeared before them with rage in his light blue eyes. He glared at the half conscious Connor, "What have you done boy?"


End file.
